Breeding Season
by BlackMajjicDuchess
Summary: Kyuubi offers Naruto the power of a lifetime, but the price is insane, and all of Konoha is in danger until someone can do something about it. Summary Inside. Naru/Hina.
1. Summary

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Prologue

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Ever since Naruto's first encounter with Kyuubi, the Nine-tailed Fox Demon imprisoned within his body, there have been ways to prevent, or at least predict, its strain on Naruto's control. When Naruto's emotions go haywire, or when Naruto has asked the fox for use of its power, Kyuubi has reared its ugly head. For these reasons, Naruto has been able to control Kyuubi and keep him at bay, not relying on its power for fear of the consequences of its use.

But, completely out of pattern, Kyuubi leaks free and causes terrible destruction that Naruto cannot suppress. The details of that tragic night haunt his memories so fiercely he thinks he cannot go on. If he is a danger to everyone around him, how can he allow himself to walk the world freely, let alone aspire to become Konoha's Hokage to protect his village?

Amazingly enough, there is a solution, but it comes at a terrible price. But whose decision is it, really? Naruto… or someone else?

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Characters:

Naruto Uzumaki

Hinata Hyuuga

Hanae Ariakado (Original character, supporting role)

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Rated M. Some sexual references and imagery. Also, some violence or graphic imagery. Adult themes

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Acknowledgments: Based loosely on a short story in Anne Bishop's "Dreams Made Flesh," a book containing several short stories to fill the gaps in the novels of the Black Jewels Trilogy.

That story concerns Lucivar and his hearth witch Marian. "A Warlord Prince periodically goes into what is called "The Rut." During this time, usually lasting over a few days to a week, depending on the man himself. The sex drive overpowers everything else, giving him the need and stamina to service an entire coven of women, the catch is that he will focus all his need onto a single woman. It is during this time that the Warlord Prince's violent nature comes into play, rumors spread amongst the people of women who have had tongues torn, nipples bitten off, broken bones and worse. Though again, it depends on the man. Any man during this time is a rival, any woman other than that he has chosen is prey. The Rut is usually brought on by prolonged periods of sexual tension/frustration. Though each case differs."

Quoted text from Anne Bishop's novels.

For Lucivar and Marian… she develops feelings for him while under his employ, and when they are forced to keep company through a blizzard while Lucivar goes through his rut, he yells at her to leave. She refuses, allowing herself to be his outlet. Amazingly, she emerges from the ordeal unharmed. They later get married. :)


	2. Hail, the Bloody Victor

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Chapter One--Hail, the Bloody Victor

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It started like any typical after party. Naruto and his current team were out to the pub, having a few drinks. He'd just turned eighteen a few weeks ago, but the bars were all pretty much accustomed to serving alcohol to any ninja, regardless of age. There was a universal understanding that any line of work that involved the possible destruction of the lives of others warranted a good buzz afterward to forget about it or dull the edge. He'd grown to like this team; they were a humorous, rough-and-tumble group of boys around his age. They liked to party—a little harder than he was accustomed to—they liked to laugh and have a good time, and best of all, they were excellent Shinobi. Every night out with this set of guys was bound to end in laughter.

This one was to end in screams and blood, but he didn't know that yet.

She caught his eye from across the room, she was just _that_ gorgeous. Her eyes were a deep shade of violet, her hair a peach-hued brown. She had full lips, accustomed to smiling, and perfectly straight white teeth. Her lithe form was obvious in smoke-colored skin tight pants and a loose scarlet top. Just after he saw her, his team did, too. He heard one of them let out a low whistle. "Wowww, isn't she a fine piece of ass."

One of the others nudged him with an elbow. "Not yours, though, you goon. She's just my type." He winked at his friend.

"You mean strung out, thinner than cabbage water and loaded down with makeup? Nah, I think you've just had too much to drink. You're seeing her all wrong." He waved his hand in front of his friend's face, mocking his line of sight. "See? You're supposed to be watching my hand, and you can't seem to keep your eyes on it."

"That's because I'm not looking at your hand, you moron! I'm looking past it!"

They all laughed, still gawking, when the smartest of the three put in his two cents. "You're both wrong. She's already got someone picked out, and it ain't any of the three of us. No, she's not our usual romp, fellas." He tossed his chin out in her direction. The boys followed his gaze. It took them a few seconds of watching to notice.

"Aha! Naruto, you've got yourself a live one! Here." One of them pushed him a mug. "Liquid courage, you little runt." He smiled broadly and clapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Bout time you got yourself laid."

His face reddened. It was still a little disconcerting to be in their company. They'd all been with plenty of girls, and they poked fun at him constantly. They also made him feel like the 'quiet one,' the way they carried on about nothing at all. It was strange for him to feel like the responsible one in a group of ninja. He leaned across the table and lowered his voice. "Alright, my eager young friends," he grinned, "watch and learn." He downed the gifted beer and stood up, puffing out his chest and plastering the Naruto smile across his face.

Flanked by jeering, leering, cheering young men, he made his way to the new arrival. She'd taken a seat near the door. She didn't seem to be waiting for anyone; she was your typical barfly, hoping for free drinks, he supposed. Perfect. With the buzz of a lifetime, he tapped her on the shoulder.

"Good evening, angel," he said, winking at her and applauding himself for the blush that crossed her pale cheeks. "What are you doing in a place like this, and all that? You don't have to answer that. I'm not the pick up lines type."

She smiled. "I wasn't planning on it," she replied warmly, winking at him. "I haven't decided what I'm doing here yet. Perhaps you can enlighten me?"

_Yessss!_ He cheered inside. Finally! He was in the zone! You know that zone. The one where you're on the sidelines watching the game, but you saw your top player get taken out at the knees and got that feeling that you just _knew_ that you were going to be put in. The one where you woke up in the morning feeling like a new person, and there was nothing that could possibly go wrong this time? That feeling, like now, where you knew victory was imminent if you played your cards right? _Score!_ He thought.

It wasn't that he never liked girls. He'd been sneaking into the women's locker rooms since he was able to walk. He'd been impersonating them to be among them. He'd secretly harbored the jealousy he felt towards all his former senseis for their closeness to the opposite sex: Jiaraiya and his _research_ that Naruto had never been able to admit he wanted to see, or Kakashi and his dirty little books—which he'd read, in secret, all alone in his own room with the curtains pulled shut and the doors locked. It wasn't like he expected someone to just walk in or anything, but it just felt right that way. Happy thoughts were for private moments.

No it wasn't that. Naruto had put his career before his social life. He made friends easily enough, but for the sheer amount of training he put himself through and the high expectations that people had of him later on because of his efforts, he'd never really had the time to figure out how to pursue the opposite gender. He didn't pay attention as his friends grew up and found romantic friends, and missed out on learning the game. Now, eighteen and surrounded by his virile group of teammates, he was a bit embarrassed to admit he'd never really gone _that far._

Being around these guys made him feel pressured and behind, and it was one more thing he needed to get better at. One good conquest would be enough. Besides, it would be fun. The way everyone went on about sex, it had to be good. _Hehehe!_

"So, where are you from?" he asked her.

She pointed with her slender fingers. "Over that way. It's not far. Want to see?"

_Well, she's not wasting any time!_ He crowed within the confines of his own mind. "Isn't that a bit sudden?" he asked. "I mean, we've only just met. You're very pretty, but—"

"Am I wrong in thinking you weren't trying to…?"

_Whoops, mistake!_ "No no no, not at all! I just thought girls were a little dodgier than us guys. I don't want to offend you and all..."

To his obvious surprise, she wrapped a hand around his head and pulled him toward her, landing her lips upon his. It shot straight through him, electrifying his senses. She lingered there, running her tongue across his bottom lip, promising more. He heard a loud noise behind him as if something had fallen, and a whoop of encouragement from one of his teammates. She pulled back and smiled at him.

"Ooookay, then. Let's go," he grinned, excited. "Hey guys, don't wait up for me!" he called over his shoulder.

He heard one of his buddies behind him exclaim in awe. "He didn't even have to buy her a drink! That Naruto!" He chuckled as she led him out the door.

She giggled as she skipped down the road, leading him behind her. He admired her body as she danced gracefully along the gravel street, bathed in moonlight. She seemed to him to be a fantasy that had walked straight out of one of his favorite dirty magazines. Gorgeous, perfect body. He bit his lip in anticipation and wanted to growl a little. Ooh, this was going to be good.

She stopped dancing when they were still just in sight of the bar and drew her body closer to his. "You were the first thing I saw in there," she whispered to him, placing her forehead on his downturned one. "There's something different about you, I just have not figured it out quite yet." She bit her lip gently, moistening it, then covered his mouth with her own. He deepened the kiss on his own, feeling a fire start deep in his gut. He had not had too much experience, but it was pretty easy to figure out just on instinct. She leaned into him, zeroing the space between their bodies. His hands roamed down her shoulders and back, firming around her buttocks and pulling her toward him further. Then, he scooped one arm beneath her and lifted her up, cradling her against his chest.

"So," he grinned at her, "where is this place of yours?"

She glanced up and turned her head. "See those lights halfway up the hill?" He nodded. "There."

His heart thudded with the thrill. Ah, this was so awesome! He got her there in no time, as the ninja travels. She laughed in exultation as they careened through the trees. He landed them on her doorstep and set her upon her feet. She flashed that perfect smile and unlocked her door, leading him inside. He didn't even have time to get a look at the inside of her house; she was already on him, pinning him to the wall with her body and melting into his mouth. She dropped her keys on the floor and left the door open.

He pressed his hands into her back nudging her face away so he could lick at her neck. She groaned and became supine in his hands. After a few feverish moments, she gained intensity, sliding her hands between his back and his shirt and lifting it over his head.

He wrapped his hands around her backside again, lifting her to him. She wrapped her legs around his waist and nuzzled his ear. He stifled a groan as he found the couch and dropped them both onto it, placing him right where he needed to be.

She sucked at his chest as he tugged at her clothing, feeling it rip. _Wait, rip? _He stopped suddenly, pulling his hand in front of his face. To his immediate fear, he saw the claws of the fox on his hand and already felt his mind slipping. _What in hell is happening now?_ He thought in panic. This was a new event. Well, it was a new event anyway, but why was Kyuubi coming out? His throat rumbled out growls as the girl continued her attentions to his person.

_Hot. Too hot. Ahhh, it burns! No! Oh, please, no!_

_Hah hah hah,, _the demon fox said within his consciousness. _What is this we have here in our claws, Naruto Uzumaki?_ If he could see the fox right now, he could imagine it grinning. _I was wondering when you were going to start bringing me sweeties. How kind._

_She's not for you, you bastard! She's mine!_

_Ah, but what's yours is mine and what is mine… is mine also. _

Oh shit! He felt the tails beginning to form as he lost his control. Kyuubi was governing his movements now. The girl beneath him was looking at him strangely. Fear had not found its way to her yet. "You have to go," he said hoarsely.

"Excuse me?" she asked, obviously perturbed. "Umm, well, I can't. This is my house."

"GO! RUN!" he screamed at her before he lost his ability to speak. Kyuubi, controlling his hands, reached out and grabbed her shoulder, digging claws into the soft and malleable flesh.

The girl yelped and tried to pull away. "What the hell are you doing?" she cried, the fear finally taking root in her violet eyes. She stared at his face, confused, as the fangs lengthened and the black formed around his lips. "Oh… my…." She trailed off, going even whiter than was normal for her complexion. She started scrambling against his hold, trying to pull herself out from his weight.

Kyuubi Naruto dropped his mouth to her collarbone. What began as an intense, hard kiss became a fang-bared bite. She sobbed, breathing heavily against his body as Kyuubi began a slow and awful ravage of Naruto's date. Blood seeped down the girls half-bared breasts. Naruto's claws dug into the skin of her sides, holding his prey still.

"Please… please don't!" she choked out through sobs. "I don't want to die!"

Naruto's consciousness was a backseat driver now as Kyuubi completely dominated his actions. _No no no no!!! _he screamed at himself._ Naruto! Wake up! Wake UP you son of a bitch!_

Kyuubi laughed at him as he wrapped a clawed hand around the young woman's picturesque face. _Oh my, isn't she a pretty one. _Kyuubi ran his tongue up along her jawbone as she sobbed in pure terror. _Tasty, too! But not the right one, you fool. She stinks of other men. This won't do at all!_ He ripped his claw right down the side of her face, ruining her features just as Naruto failed to even be a consciousness anymore and disappeared entirely.

Kyuubi ruled this night.

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A/N: Yeah, that prologue was barely a taste huh? But I am impressed with the turnout, so now that everyone is watching I guess I can throw you a chapter. :D This is new for me... I've never really written anything sexy, so I hope it was a success. X-D

Now that you are all sufficiently horrified... you get to wait for chapter two. :D

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Poor mysterious girl... well, being easy never really does pay off, does it? It's a crap shoot. How will Naruto react when he comes to and realizes what he has done? Stay tuned for Chapter Two--Wrong


	3. Wrong

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Chapter Two--Wrong

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Naruto was dead asleep, not even dreaming when he was rudely awoken by a woman's blood-curdling scream. He leapt from where he was settled to his feet and whipped out a kunai, ready for anything, or so he thought. His eyes settled on the lone woman standing in the doorway—wait, where was he?—and the look of utter horror on her face.

But she wasn't looking at him. He followed the line of her eyesight, prepared mentally for awesome battle with any sort of enemy. What he saw there was not something he was prepared to handle. The couch he'd been sleeping on was completely drenched in blood. It had been torn in places and the stuffing was bouncing out. It looked as if a large, enraged cat of some kind had been offended by said couch and torn it to shreds, and as if the couch had at one time had a life of its own and had bled to death as a result.

That was not the worst of it. On the floor in front of the couch's remains was a bloody mess of flesh and hair. It was not something anyone would ever want to see on a full stomach. He stumbled onto his knees, dropping the kunai at his side, and clutched at his belly. It was no use, however. In a couple of powerful heaves, his dinner from the night before was spilled on the floor. The woman in the doorway took the opportunity to flee. He didn't even move or speak to try to make her stay. His mind and his insides were reeling. It made his head ache, and his whole being start to panic.

It started to come back to him in flashes. A bright sparkle of violet eyes, a soft but urgent kiss. But where had it gone wrong? A beautiful girl his age, dancing on the street, giggling. Mutual desire that led him to her place. What happened? Why was this wrong? A pair of ripped gray leggings, a fire in his gut. It felt wrong, but why was it wrong? _Why?_ A low growl, cruel laughter. Red chakra.

_Kyuubi!_

Naruto was suddenly very ill again. There was nothing left to throw up, but his body attempted to anyway. He fixed his eyes on the carpet in front of his face, sick with grief. _I did this… I did this to her._ It was then that his wide blue eyes saw something even worse. In his pile of vomit was a small, slender piece of white. It had jagged chips in it, as if it had been bitten.

Bone.

He yelled, an awful howling of grief, unable to even stand himself. His heart raced, his stomach churned and heaved. He grasped his head in both hands and doubled over, staring at the evidence of his vilest of acts. He racked his whole body with agonizing sobs. _How had this even happened?_

But in just a few moments, his entire thoughts were superseded by a very important revelation. He needed to run away. Leaving his kunai where it had fallen and the entire mess as it had remained when he had awoken, he dashed out the door. _I'm sorry!_ His mind screamed. _I'm so sorry…_ He didn't know how long he ran or even where he was headed. Just, away. Away from the bloody mess that had so recently been a lively and pretty young girl. He ran so hard and so far it was as if he was trying to outrun his own mind, but that was impossible. His thoughts were racing, trying to explain what had happened. This was the most frightened he could ever recall being.

_Kyuubi took over, but why? No one was in danger until Kyuubi came. I didn't need his chakra. Wait, what did Kyuubi say? She was the wrong one? Thanks for the 'sweeties'? What the hell does it all even mean?_ His thoughts paused for a second. _What does it mean? _There had to be someone who had the answers.

_No, I can't go near another living thing as long as I live. I'm nothing but a monster. _

"_Monster! Just think what would happen if he ever became a ninja. It's a pity he's still alive." _All the thoughts and cruel words of the generation before him assaulted his already fragile mind. The hatred had seeped into his age group as well, seeding a breed of contempt it had taken all his life to dispel. Gone! Just like that. It seems they had been right all along, although he didn't think anyone could have guessed he'd eat someone.

With that thought, he wanted to puke again, but his body was too tired to endure. Wordlessly, he collapsed upon the ground, having no idea where he was at all. He just lay there, face implanted firmly in the dirt, and tried to will himself to just stop breathing. The least he could do was to take Kyuubi with him when he died.

_I deserve to be killed. No, I deserve to be killed _slowly, he thought morosely. _Please let it all just be a horrible, awful nightmare. Someone wake me and tell me I didn't chew on that girl._

No one spoke to him. He was in the middle of nowhere, alone. _Me and my inner demon, _he thought with self hatred. _I'm going to strangle that god-forsaken fox._

_Kyuubi! _He shouted to his body's resident. No answer. _Kyuubi! Wake up you mangy, pathetic excuse for a demon!_ He felt a sleepy presence stirring from within.

_He found himself standing in the chamber of the fox within his own body, staring at the bars. The seal was still solid there, holding the fox at bay within him. At least he was not free yet. He clutched his fists at his sides and glared at the red eyes that stared at him, half lidded and lazy. "Kyuubi!" he shouted at it. "Wake up, asshole."_

_The eyelids of the beast lifted just a fraction. "You're ruining my nap. That pisses me off," it responded, letting a menacing, irritated growl roll out of its throat. _

"_I don't give a damn!" he yelled at it. "What the hell happened back there? I didn't call you out! I didn't need you!"_

_The eyes of the fox opened just a little further, and it brought its face closer to the bars. "And what makes you think I have to listen to you? I don't have to stay put like some... common lapdog," he spat at Naruto.  
_

"_You're in my body. I could kill us both at any time. After that stunt, the notion is definitely tempting. You don't know what you've done, Kyuubi. You've ruined my life. I don't even have a life anymore. I can't live with myself knowing I am responsible. What kind of person would I be?"_

_He laughed, a sound that reverberated off the walls and assailed Naruto's fragile ears. He didn't flinch; his anger was the only thing that mattered right now. "You won't kill us, Naruto Uzumaki," it chuckled at him. "Life is too important to you."_

_Naruto made a face at the beast. "Why? Why did you do that?"_

_Kyuubi yawned and closed one eye. "I don't feel like telling you." With that, he shut both eyes and sighed. Before long, he was asleep again, no matter how much Naruto yelled at him to wake up.  
_

"_Hey, you stupid fox! Wake your ass up and tell me!" Of course, he didn't respond. Damn that demon fox! Now what do I do?_

He returned to consciousness, frustrated. He could taste dirt, but he didn't care. For a long time, he just lay there, sprawled out on the forest floor. His whole body trembled. He felt paralyzed. His body felt only one thing: wrong. Everything about him, everything about the day, was just wrong. He felt alien in his own skin, like the real Naruto Uzumaki didn't live here anymore. Overhead the birds were singing, like it was any normal day in the world. But it just was not any normal day, not anymore. Someone was missing from it. Someone _he_ had taken out of it.

He rolled onto his side and curled into the fetal position. His body ached. His heart ached. His stomach roiled and churned. He tried really hard not to think. He just could not handle any thought regarding the night before.

He tried to go back to sleep, hoping against hope that when he woke up, it would all just be the worst nightmare of all time. He shut his eyes. Behind his eyelids, the accusations assaulted him. He could see all of his friends, all of his peers, his teachers. Sakura. Kakashi. Konohamaru. The look in their eyes a mix of worry, disgust, and fear. He'd never be able to face them.

His life as he had known it was over. In the space of one night, he became an outcast. He let the feeling was over him, trying to become accustomed to the solitude of exile.

_I can't ever allow myself to do that, ever again._

_I can't ever be around people, ever again._

_I can't ever go back to Konoha. Ever. Again. _

_

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_A/N: Calling the dark and twisted! This is new territory for me, too. I guess you could say I am feeling a little braver. I hope the sick and twisted recesses of your brains are satisfied. This is probably going to be one of the most difficult scenes in the story for the squeamish.

Now what is Naruto going to do? :-O

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A self-imposed exile... our passionately heroic ninja cannot stand himself now. What will the Leaf Village do? Stay tuned for Chapter Three--Summon Cereus


	4. Summon Cereus

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A/N: Sorry for the slow updates. I am trying to be as expedient as possible, but there are aspects of my life that are detaining me from the more entertaining parts of my day to day activities. Sorry for all the delays. :(

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Chapter Three--Summon Cereus

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They stood before Tsunade's large, paper-laden desk, grinning. The mission had been a success, of course. They were proud. They didn't really understand at first why her face looked so upset, but then again, the Fifth Hokage's temper was world class. Besides, she was pretty hot, so it detracted a bit from the anger she seemed to exude. They kept their smiles in place, waiting for her approval to relay the mission update.

"Where is Naruto?" she snipped out, nose resting on folded hands. She was looking up at them from under her eyelids, and it gave her the appearance of one especially angry.

Their smiles slipped just a fraction at her tone, but returned tenfold when they thought about where he might be. They chuckled just a little, even if it was a little rude, but at the same time… how did they tell their Kage that he was probably having the time of his life romping in bed with the sexiest woman any of them had ever seen? It was hilarious! _Oh, sorry about that, Lady Tsunade… he was busy grinding his hips against the cute girl from the bar when we told him it was time to go. Sorry, Lady Tsunade, he's uh… well, he's out. Sorry, Lady Tsunade, but he was balls-deep last we heard and we thought it best not to bother him."_ No matter what way any of them thought about telling her the truth, it just could not come out without laughing. They looked at each other, unable to contain their mirth.

Tsunade narrowed her eyes. "Well?"

The brains of the group tapped his chin in thought. "Well…" he began. "I don't know how to say it delicately, so I will just say it. He left the rest of us at the bar with the perfect specimen of the female species and we have not heard from him since. We figured since he knew his way back and all…" The other two sniggered. The self appointed leader of the three raised his arms in a shrug, smiling from ear to ear. "I'm sure he's fine."

The moment stretched on for a moment, as Tsunade's eyes narrowed into menacing slits. "Come again?" she asked in an unnaturally flat voice.

One of the others opened his big mouth. "He was having sex when we left." He smirked, thinking maybe she just didn't get it.

"I see," she said. "And you thought letting him leave your company without backup while probably intoxicated with an unidentified woman—in hostile territory, no less—and then, _furthermore_, leaving the mission entirely and leaving one of your team behind, after _not_ hearing from him in…?" She let the question hang on the air.

"Three days," one offered.

"In. Threeee. _Days._" She lengthened each word significantly, quieting her tone with each successive syllable. "This was alright with you?"

The smart aleck of the bunch looked at her strangely. "Listen, you dumb broad." Her eye twitched. "The four of us are buddies. From where we're standing, that's called being bros. Your wingman leaves the table with the sexiest thing on two legs, you don't knock on the door and tell him it's time for _breakfast_, let alone barge in and say, 'Hey, man, we gotta skip town.'"

She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. "I'm going to say this once, and then I'm going to tear you all limb from limb: Get _out!"_ she snarled.

They looked at each other, sharing the same wavelength of anger, before making their exit, shaking their heads. She just wasn't going to get it, they each thought. Just as they had disappeared from her sight, a stack of folders from her desk went flying against the wall to her right. The heaviest of them made a heavy cracking sound that thundered down the hallway after them.

"Shizune!" she screamed at the closing door. In moments, her assistant peeked her head in. She'd seen the boys leaving and heard the crash, and she wasn't entirely sure how she should approach the enraged village leader. "Get me Hinata Hyuuga's team. Immediately!"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama!" she replied, glad she didn't have to spend more than a minute in there with her master's temper so fine-edged. She made her move to leave.

"And Shizune," she added. Her face appeared from around the door again. "Those three that just left here… I want their licenses destroyed. I want their headbands—on my desk! And, I don't ever want to see them again. If they so much as set foot within view of my _window_, whoever is responsible will have hell to pay. Is that _clear_?"

She tried very hard not to squeak. "Yes, Tsunade-sama." Free at last, she dashed off to the Hyuuga residence, leaving the Hokage to herself, muttering a colorful string of phrases that Shizune was glad had nothing to do with her.

* * *

"Hinata's not at home," Neji told her. She must have appeared dreadfully dismayed, because he put a hand on her shoulder. "I can take you to her," he offered. She gratefully accepted, breathing out her thanks.

She was at her old practice field with her students. Hinata had been the last of the Rookie Nine to become a jounin, but she had done it. She might have been slower than the rest to pick up and embrace the teachings of the Shinobi, but once mastered, she was better than most. She made a very fine jounin, and was much more careful than even most of her peers. Shizune could remember when she'd first met the young girl. She'd never thought she'd make it this far, and from what she'd been told, she'd barely made it past genin to begin with. It was bizarre and awe-inspiring; she wished she understood what quiet force kept the girl going.

When she and Neji approached the four ninja—Hinata and her three new genin—Hinata looked up from a slim novel and smiled. "Hello, cousin, Shizune," she greeted them. The genin momentarily stopped their chakra training until Hinata urged them to continue. "To what do I owe the surprise?"

"Lady Hokage wishes to see you, and your team." She told her. "It's something very important. She was pretty stressed out when I came to find you." She laughed nervously and tried to convey with expressions what she didn't want to say in public: _she was furious and all scary-like. I thought she was going to kill me just because I was the next living breathing thing to walk through her office door._

Hinata's eyes bulged momentarily, and she smiled. "I see. Please tell her I will be there as soon as I gather them. She won't be waiting long."

Shizune nodded and took her leave. They said their goodbyes, but Neji hung around a moment longer. "Hinata, I fear this is more serious than the Hokage's assistant is aware," he told her quietly. "Naruto's team arrived this morning, and Naruto is not among them. Be careful."

She stopped breathing for a minute. Naruto needed her! She didn't need to ask him how he knew. She, too, had the Byakugan, and understood its merits. "I will, thank you, Neji," she replied much more calmly than she felt. He nodded and left her with her team, making his solitary walk home. After she calmed her fluttering heart, she called her rookies to her.

They were a solid team, and she was happy with her position as their leader. The lone boy on her team, Yasuo, seemed to have a pretty good head on his shoulders. He didn't speak unless he had something important to say. Hinata wondered where his childhood had gone, but he was a very good student, calm, quiet, and protective of everyone on his team. He had a long ways to go, and his chakra control was shaky at best, but some day, he was going to be strong.

The elder of the two girls, Hanae, was his polar opposite. She was hot-tempered, had admirable control of her chakra and some decent jutsu to go with it, and often picked on Yasuo. She reminded Hinata a lot of Naruto, when he was younger. She never quit, was eager to learn, and acted like she had something to prove. She didn't quite understand the concept of teamwork yet, and expected her sensei to teach her everything she knew and _right now_, but with time and a good team at her back, she'd be an enviable leader.

Mai sort of stuck out like a sore thumb. She was pretty clumsy, socially awkward, and sort of the black sheep of her class. She didn't really like a lot of people, though she treated her teammates like brother and sister, but she already showed a good sense of duty and work ethic. She absorbed knowledge like a sponge. A brilliant girl, if a bit cynical. The first thing she caught on to while training was how to synergize with her companions. Every skill she focused on, trying to hone, was a skill that directly complimented something else she had seen. She was already a very valuable asset to the team.

She smiled peacefully, thinking about them. Her first team! They'd been hers for over a year now, and showed tremendous promise. She knew why they'd been chosen, as her students and as a group. Hinata herself had been a late bloomer with admirable qualities, and all three of these would be as well. They were not much to look at now, but their teachers had seen in them a tightly compacted seed of strength that, with proper and patient training, would bloom the brightest. In the wrong hands, they'd be pressured too hard and break. They would frustrate their teachers. As a team, they understood each other. They didn't like each other at first, but neither did anyone else, really. Their particular backgrounds and skills were very balanced, and they thought hardest with their heads than anything else. She had a clever and studious team.

How had she ever gotten so lucky?

"Cereus," she called to them. Although the generic name for their team had been the drab "Team Two," the first thing they'd done as a team building exercise was to come up with a better name. Cereus was a night-blooming flower, and she thought it represented them perfectly. She swelled with pride when they presented their choice to her. When the three bright young faces looked up from their chakra meditations, she grinned at them. "The Hokage would like to see us." Three sets of eyes popped. Few words were exchanged as they soberly gathered their belongings and made their way to the Hokage's office. None could guess whether this was going to be good or bad, not even Hinata, so there was little to say. Speculation was pointless.

As she followed them up to Hokage Tower, Hinata's thoughts lingered a bit longer on her oldest student. Hanae had been the difficult one. She constantly suffered under the high expectations of her superiors. It was very hard on the thirteen year-old. It was a wonder she managed to stay above it all, and Hinata found that she admired her inner strength. If she'd been pressured as hard as Hanae had been when she was her age, she'd have broken completely. For this reason, Hinata and Hanae had become quite close, much like Shikamaru and Asuma had. It was a bond further strengthened by the fact that Hanae's parents had mysteriously disappeared. She had no one to turn to, and had been starved for love her whole life.

Hinata was a very caring person. She recognized loneliness and longing in the young teen's eyes, and made sure she was there for her when she was needed. She remembered keenly how hard it had been to mature as both a kunoichi and a woman at the exact same time. The next few years would be extraordinarily difficult for the volcanically-tempered Hanae. Hinata sighed.

This mission might be tougher on Hanae that she could fathom. She hoped they would be alright.

"You alright, Sensei?" Mai asked, worried. Hanae and Yasuo shared her expression. Clearly, they were all worried about the summons.

She nodded and smiled to reassure her. "Yes, thank you."

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A/N: I am not normally a fan of introducing original characters, but eh. Team Cereus is a mini cast of support characters that will be vital to story development. Hanae's role, as mentioned in the prologue, will become very important. Plus, it's always fun to write about someone with an acid temper.

I hope you enjoyed. :) I will try to keep you updated.

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It's clear that Hinata's young team is to track down Naruto. The Hokage, Tsunade, has chosen the perfect team for the mission, but what makes Cereus so special? Stay tuned for Chapter Four--The Night-blooming Flower!

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	5. The Night Blooming Flower

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A/N: I'm astounded by the reader volume! ^_^ 3 you guys!

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Chapter Four--The Night-blooming Flower

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"A B rank, huh?" Mai mused. "We're genin. How did that happen?"

Hinata regarded her team with pride. They stood at the gate to Konoha, ready to make way. "I'm a good friend of the missing ninja," she responded. "And my eyes make me the perfect scout."

Yasuo nodded, considering, but Hanae broke in. "Ya ya ya, that makes perfect sense, sensei, but why not send you and other jounin? We're just genin. Are we really going to be any help on this mission?"

"_You want me to take my genin on this mission, Lady Hokage?" Tsunade nodded. "Um, okay, but… are you sure?" She nodded again, rendering the blue haired jounin speechless. Genin on a B rank? And _her_ genin?_

"_Hinata Hyuuga, have a little more faith in your team." She blushed, wondering if the Fifth could read minds. "I can't say for sure what is going on with Naruto right now, but Hanae has a rather bizarre kekei-genkai, and Yasuo shows an affinity for Tenzou's gifts. Mai is their perfect complement. Your team seems to be coincidentally designed for handling the kyuubi sealed within Naruto's body. And, Hinata," she added softly, "I know how you feel about Naruto. I could have sent Neji if all I needed was Byakugan, but you have a greater chance of getting to Naruto if I'm miscalculating something, and you won't give up. You can call for back up if you think it is needed. I'm counting on Team Cereus, Hinata. Bring Naruto back."_

She nodded at her team. "The Hokage has faith in you guys. And," she added brightly, "I do too. Do you all know the mission?"

They nodded, and Mai answered mechanically. "We're going to Grass Country. We're to begin our search beginning at a _bar_—" she said the word like a curse "—named Ryo Ryu. Our target is a jounin named Naruto Uzumaki, five foot five, blonde hair, whisker-like face markings, blue eyes. He can generally be found wearing black and orange, and is known as a general loud mouth with extraordinary powers and a loud mouth."

Hanae rolled her eyes. "You forgot he contains the nine tailed demon fox, Kyuubi," she added. "Which, if unleashed, could disintegrate us all into a poof of black ash." She grinned, full of youthful fantasies. Mai's face darkened, though whether she was mad she was not as thorough as she would have liked, that Hanae had known something she hadn't, or that she was afraid of being reduced to particulate matter, Hinata could not be sure.

"Right," she answered darkly.

"You said you're a friend of him, sensei?" Yasuo asked.

She nodded. "That's right. I'd still be a genin if I'd never met Naruto, or maybe have quit altogether."

Three sets of eyes widened. "You, sensei? You're so strong!" Mai exclaimed.

"Yep. You think I'm strong, I can't wait until you meet Naruto. He makes me feel like I'm _still_ a genin. And besides, I've told you strength isn't everything. Teamwork and hard work will get you further than strength alone." They nodded, absorbing her lecture. "Alright, we need to move."

It was a good day, she thought. Her team was eager and strong, perfectly suited for a mission of a rank that would make their peers jealous and earn them respect. To top it all off, Naruto needed her. She didn't care what was keeping him from the village, only glad that she was the one chosen to bring him back.

She knew infinitely well how little her peers had thought of her during her childhood, Naruto included. It was never in his nature to be mean or anything, but he had even told her he thought she was weird, and although he stuck up for her whenever anyone else insulted her, he had never himself thought she was anything special. Somewhere, quite recently in fact, she'd found the strength she'd been searching for, and she'd found it because of him.

It had only taken her 6 years to figure out that she was going to get beaten up, bruised, cut, slashed, poisoned, and brought to the last few inches of her life at some point during her career, and that the only thing she could do about it was choose whether or not it was her that attacked first or the enemy. Naruto was well known for being the first to charge onto a battlefield, to protect his friends. All she had ever done was to be the one that needed protecting.

Well, it was her turn to protect now. She didn't ever charge onto battlefields, chakra ablaze and embracing death, but she was not afraid anymore. She could not even hope to count how many times Naruto himself had saved her from almost certain death, but she could count how many times she had saved his life. _Once._ And right after that, he'd saved hers again.

_Naruto, I owe you so much. Thank you._

She'd hardly seen him at all this whole past year. He'd been on missions more often than not, and she'd been busy spending time with her team. It was easy to admit she loved them. They brought out the best in her, in strength and character both. Unbeknownst to anyone but herself, she was preening in her own way, proud of herself and her team, of her ability to lead and teach them, of the great strides they were making and, in turn, the progress she'd made.

No, she was not scared anymore. It was Naruto that taught her that some people were just more important than yourself. How many times had he stared death in the face to protect a comrade? To protect her? To fight for Sasuke? How many punches had he taken? How many times had he been near death before miraculously recovering? How many times had he stretched on, training until he could no longer stand, until any other ninja, even ANBU, would have gone home exhausted? He never did it for himself. Naruto pushed himself so that, next time, when someone was too weak to defend themselves, he could be the one to protect them, and he was never satisfied until he knew he could do that one hundred and twenty percent of the time.

Naruto was the best of them all, she was sure of it. And now she, too, understood the Will of Fire. She hoped that, after all this time, she was good enough for him to see her.

She was lost to her thoughts for most of the trip. So many things could have happened in a year. What if he didn't even recognize her anymore? Although she knew it was a ridiculous thought—Naruto remembered everyone—it worried her. Even if she had grown and matured, she still felt awfully vulnerable in his presence. All she had ever wanted was for him to see her. Not see _through_ her. Not see someone weak that needed to be protected (although it was nice that he saved her *swoon*). No, not anymore. She wanted him to see her, Hinata, as an equal Shinobi worthy of her own team and his attention.

She was not a little girl anymore. She'd thought she loved Naruto when she was a little girl. She had a crush on him as a teen. And now, eighteen and grown out of her childhood naivete, she knew that her love had passed the tests of time. Naruto was a man worth dying for, the kind you never get a crack at dating and try your whole life to find. She considered herself blessed that he even considered her worth saving, let alone call her friend. She knew that she wanted him and only him, and it was not because she was a weirdo. After she had made jounin, she'd had the occasional suitor. Her father had even presented her with a fine specimen of mankind, urging her to consider him as a possible match.

She sat him down and very calmly told him the full and honest truth. _"I've always been fond of Naruto Uzumaki, Daddy. Your choice is a good one, of course, but Naruto also has merits. He's going to be Hokage someday, and my heart has always belonged to him."_ He was dismayed at first; he'd really liked the young man he'd given her, and he knew the boy's father very well. However, he understood his daughter's decision, and was still proud that she had finally become jounin. She had finally become the daughter he wanted.

She hoped Naruto was not truly in danger. But if he was...

_Am I strong enough now, Naruto? Can I protect you this time? _

* * *

A/N: I find it very refreshing when I see Hinata finally get past the stuttering (always painful to watch... I'm always like "SPIT IT OUT, HINATA!!!" Such a sweet girl. She'd be so much cooler if she could find that spark. Well, in my perfect little universe, she has! It is my belief that when Hinata finds her strength she will be one of the best. :)

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Hinata is ready to lay her life on the line for Naruto! It's about time! The question then remains, does Naruto even _want_ to be saved? Wait for the next chapter, Chapter Five--Deal with the Demon!

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	6. Deal with the Demon

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_

Chapter Five--Deal with the Demon

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_

_Blood. So much blood. She was weeping, afraid of him. Her face was gone. He lifted her limp form, trying to hold her and tell her it was going to be alright, he knew how to fix this, but when he lifted her, she broke in his arms. Every time he touched her to try to help, he destroyed her even more._

_Everything I touch is destroyed, he thought. Everyone I love disappears or dies. I'm a curse in this world. I do more harm than good._

"_Yes, Naruto. You're just like me," crooned a devilish voice from within his own thoughts. "We were born to destroy everything we touch, not protect. Release me, and let me show you how creatures like us feel truly alive."_

Naruto lay prone on his back, staring up at the ceiling in the chamber of the demon fox. "Go away, Kyuubi," he muttered, exasperated. "I'm trying to die here." His heart ached. For the girl he had killed, for himself. He had never before contemplated suicide, no matter how bad it had gotten. This time, it was different. This time, it didn't matter what everyone else felt about him. He could never look his own face in the mirror again and be okay.

The great beast laughed. "You're so dramatic, Naruto. It's so much simpler than that. You live, she dies. No one notices, and no one cares. Where _are_ you, even, right now?"

He thought about it. He stared up at the limitless black expanse of atmosphere above him, knowing that the chamber was not what Kyuubi meant. He thought about where he lay in relation to the rest of the world. Was he currently being feasted upon by the woodland creatures? Wouldn't that be an ironic and fitting end? "I have no idea. Who cares?"

The demon fox guffawed, an eerie sound from such a powerful source. "Exactly. So let me out. This world is not worth saving. Let's break it together and feast on the ruins." His grin spread even wider. He fancied himself a sly fox, slyer than the rest.

"The world is just fine, you stupid fox. It's you that's the problem. Now shut up and let me fix it. Last thing I want to hear is your goddamned voice before I finally die here." The world would be even more fine as soon as he was no longer in it. It would be even further ameliorated if the violet-eyed girl were still a part of it.

"You know," Kyuubi chuckled. "You said one thing and it means another. If you'd like, my voice will be exactly the last thing you hear before you die." He grinned a toothy smirk, amused at his own joke. Naruto didn't answer.

"So much blood," he whispered instead, apparently lost in his thoughts. "It's all I can even think about. I need to fix it, and I can't. This is all I can do."

Kyuubi listened, though didn't let on he was more than a little bit worried. Naruto, it seemed, really did intend to let himself go. He felt that the walls of his container were beginning to wane. They were dimming, as if the bland-looking walls were losing life. "Hey," he said to the prostrate ninja upon the floor. He figured if he could keep the blonde talking, he would at least know he was still alive. "Hey, Naruto! I'm hungry. Bring me another sweetie. Hehehehe."

Naruto let loose a loud groan that ended in a pathetic whimper. "Will you just shut up?" he asked, half begging. "It still doesn't make any sense. If I can't control you under the best of circumstances, I can't traipse around ready to let fly a nine tailed nightmare on whoever, wherever, whenever... grrrr, Just SHUT UP!"

Kyuubi was not entertained by being told what he could and could not do. "Now, WAIT a minute—"

"I SAID SHUT UP! SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP! Shut your fucking smug, fanged face. Don't talk to me. Don't look at me. Don't even think about talking or looking at me. Leave—me—alone." He glared at the fox, his eyes a sharp blue in contrast with the neutrality of colors that normally decorated his miserable captivity.

Kyuubi rumbled a low and menacing growl. It echoed all over the tall walls, amplifying in sound until it was all that existed in the cavernous space. He had meant it to piss off his jinchuuriki, but Naruto didn't move or speak. Without comment, he returned to his sprawled out melodrama in the middle of the floor. _This kid_, he thought. _He has no idea whatsoever_. He huffed, a sharp inhalation that sounded like a hiss.

"Alright, kid. I'll humor you," he said hesitantly. Still, the boy didn't twitch. "As a child, you could never hope to control me. The tailed beasts are ancient demons. We've been passed from container to container, feared and hated. Before you arrogant ninja came along we went about our lives. We scared you with our power, only because it was greater than yours. You were too puny to kill us, so you caged us instead. Pissed us off more than a bit. Now every time one of us gets loose, we have centuries of hatred to release in as much time as it takes for you to capture us again. There's no way a tailed beast would answer to one so young as you."

Naruto was listening. He was not sure how any of this really applied, but clearly he was wasting his breath trying to shut up the damned thing. At least it was a break from the bloodthirst he normally voiced. He stared blankly at nothing, hoping Kyuubi would talk long enough that he'd not notice when they passed from the world together.

Kyuubi rattled on. "There have been few in the past that have been able to control tailed beasts, and even fewer that could trust one and be trusted in turn. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen. I don't care that you're a snot when you're angry." He grinned. "I'm not pleasant when I am angry either, I'll admit." Understatement of the year. "We can be friends, however. I'll be a good little Kyuubi, and you can use my power at will."

Naruto's ears pricked. He wasn't interested in trying to talk. He knew Kyuubi would tell him soon enough out of sheer boredom. The moment stretched on. The nine tails paced back and forth in the tiny confines of its prison.

"You're a man now. You can give me what I want, and in turn, I will only ever come when called. You can summon me right out of this little prison inside of your belly and loose my awesome power on your enemies. I won't bother you, and I won't hurt anyone you don't ask me to. Do as I say, and I will be your slave.*"

The minutes passed. Kyuubi had said his piece. It was time for Naruto to answer him… or not. Time ticked on, undaunted. Kyuubi was ready for a nap. He'd overexerted himself in speaking. With a jaw-cracking yawn, he placed his massive head upon his claws and shut his eyes. After a few moments of silence, Naruto cleared his throat. He said something, but Kyuubi didn't hear it at first. He made a confused sound.

"At what price? What is it you want from me in return?" he asked wearily, knowing before he asked that he probably was not willing to pay it.

Victory! "I require a mate." _Oh, please, oh please!_ Kyuubi had waited so long for this.

There was a moment where neither of them spoke. Then Naruto opened his lips and smiled. "Hehe. I hate to break it to you, Kyuubi-kun, but I don't swing that way." The nine tails' eyes widened and he laughed. Naruto could not help himself. He laughed a little too, albeit a bit grimly. The sound of the two together would have been chilling to onlookers. "So that's what you meant when you said she was the wrong one, huh? You didn't like her."

"Fah! She reeked of other men. Whore. I can't believe you couldn't smell it. It practically made me gag, and I'm inside, here."

"I thought she smelled awesome," he mumbled. Naruto's heart still stung from what he'd done. He still felt his stomach turn when he thought about it. "So," he said, his throat suddenly dry. He swallowed and tried again. "So, if I find you a mate, you will do my bidding, and never seep out of here if I don't expressly tell you to?"

"Right." The demon held his breath, hoping for the answer he craved.

Easier said than done. "Where do I find another world-sized demon fox like you then?" He sincerely hoped there was not another Kyuubi.

"There are not any other demon foxes." Well, that was good news, at least. "The worst part of being a nine tailed ancient demon fox is that I'm the only one**. Besides, it's not like I can get out of here unless you pull off that seal, and I'm free when you release me. I won't need your help then."

Naruto frowned. So it wasn't possible after all. Insolent jerk.

"I'm within you, Naruto Uzumaki. You have to find me a mate, but she has to be a woman for you. The only difference is, occasionally I get complete control, and then her body and mine will be compatible."

Well, that was a deal breaker. "And risk what happened in Grass Country? Go to hell, Kyuubi."

He narrowed his eyes, feeling very petulant. "You keep me cooped up at all times. You can't let me have my way once a year for one cycle of the moon?"

Naruto could have sworn he was pouting. His temper flared. "Fuck no. Get comfy, we're getting closer."

"To what?"

"Death."

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A/N: Aha! Now we get to the heart of the story. ^_^ Could you imagine the magnitude of a choice like this?

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*gasp!* Naruto is on the edge of death while Hinata and her team draw near. But how will they be able to find him in the middle of nowhere? Find out in _Chapter Six--The Bloody Mess!_

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* "Just fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave." ~Jareth, the Goblin King, from 'Labyrinth' (Jim Henson, 1986)

** "But _the most wonderful thing about Tiggers_ Is I'm the only one!" ~Tigger, from Winnie the Pooh


	7. The Bloody Mess

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Chapter Six--The Bloody Mess

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"Trail starts here, Hinata-sensei," Hanae told her in a low voice. "But, this chakra is different. There seem to be two kinds. Is it possible he is with someone?" She looked puzzled.

Hinata shook her head. "Naruto contains Kyuubi, the nine tailed fox. The fox is its own being, imprisoned within Naruto, and it possesses its own chakra. You're trailing Kyuubi _and_ Naruto." Hanae grinned. "I'm very proud you found the trail. Lead the way Hanae," she finished with a smile.

"Ah!" Hanae exclaimed. "Duh." Visibly preening, Hanae led the team on a short trek through the trees to a small, quaint house. The door was ajar, but was the only physical oddity about the place as a whole. Other than that… "Something reeks," Mai pointed out. It was true. There was an overpowering, gut-wrenching stench hovering in the atmosphere. As they neared the door, it steadily grew stronger. It was almost tangible, and all four of the ninja could taste it on the tip of their tongues.

Hinata nodded her assent, but she recognized it, and it put a pit in her stomach. It was the stench of death, old and decaying. All chuunin went through various forms of training regarding death, and one of them was to learn the scent of rotting flesh and become immune to the sickness incited by it. "Back me up," she commanded. She activated her Byakugan and scanned the area. There were no active chakra signals contained within, but there did appear to be a body on the ground in one of the rooms. It was badly misshapen and contorted. She knew without seeing it closely that whoever it had been was already long dead. "Wait for my call."

They assured her they would as she stepped into the place. Everything in the house was still in place. There were no signs of struggle. She approached the body cautiously. It had been unceremoniously dumped upon the floor, where it was summarily forgotten. It seemed whoever it was did not really have much of a family, or she'd have been moved or buried. Trying to hold down the contents of her stomach, she inspected more closely. Trying to make a purely medical judgment and not think about who the victim might have been, she could tell that she was female. She was a bloody mess, though, and her face was ruined by what appeared to be animal means. Despite the sloppy cause of death, the area was not immediately dangerous, and her innocent and naïve young genin needed a brush with death. "Hanae, Mai, Yasuo! It's safe."

In little time, the three young faces had appeared behind her. They stared with a mix of awe, horror, and excitement. "Wow," Mai commented. "What happened here?" Yasuo pulled out a small, brown clothbound notebook and began scribbling notes and making a sketch of the body. It was a habit he had picked up that allowed for accurate reports. Yasuo did not like to forget anything.

"Looks like the Kyuubi got her," Hanae joked. Mai sniggered.

Hinata shot her an angry glare. "Hanae!" she scolded. "Naruto Uzumaki is your comrade, a fellow citizen of Konoha. You're not to make base accusations regarding Leaf Shinobi."

Hanae raised an eyebrow. "It was a joke, sensei. Sheesh, what, are you in love with him or something?"

Hinata chose not to answer that. Naruto would never let his demon get that far out of control. He and Kyuubi had been fused since he was an infant, and he'd never killed anyone who didn't deserve it, not even when he was rampaging. He had admirable control. She'd only watched him rampaging once. It was terrific to behold, frightening and thrilling all at once. Of course, being in the fox's claws would be a matter to be concerned about, but watching it wreak havoc on enemies was sort of a private relief of hers. It made the casualties to the rest of Konoha minimal. Sometimes, when she was thinking about him late at night, she wondered if there would ever be a way to bend Kyuubi to Naruto's will. Some of the jinchuuriki had managed to be at peace with their bijuu. If he could ever accomplish that, Konoha would be at a great advantage, and Naruto would truly be reveled as a hero.

She pushed the thought momentarily away though, and tried to get her exuberant set of ninja kids back in order. "Hanae, the chakra signature. Where has Naruto been?"

The girl moved a wisp of orange hair from her brown eyes, finally letting the smile slide off her face. "There," she pointed. "On that couch." Hinata swallowed hard. So much blood? But if this girl was dead, where was Naruto? "And there," she pointed again toward a spot on the carpet. Hinata followed the girl's finger to what appeared to be a stain of some sort. She tested the dry surface, finding it to be consistent with the decomposition properties of digestive fluids like bile or vomit. Something caught her attention in the vicinity of the stain, but before any of her students noticed, she scooped it up and dropped it into a pocket. She'd consider the possibilities later. Right now, they needed to find Naruto.

Yasuo leaned down next to her and picked up a kunai. She'd missed seeing it as she had been focused on the other object. He looked to Hanae, who nodded. "Yeah, that's his." She looked upon her sensei with worried eyes. "Hate to say it sensei, but from all we've seen here so far, this looks like _his _crime scene." She bit off the end of her sentence. She had not wanted to say it, since it was clear Hinata was stewing on the possibilities, but it had needed to be said.

Hinata bit her lip_. Naruto, are you alright?_ She wondered, fearful. This wasn't like him at all. She wasn't about to scare her students, but she feared Hanae was right. Naruto's hands had been all over everything, unless Hanae was lying. She had no reason to, though. Hanae took great pride in her kekkei-genkai. Hinata led them outside as she began to try to piece together information. "Cereus, help me develop scenarios," she ordered. The three young genin, though two of the three had not even reached teen years yet, represented the brightest minds in Konoha, if a bit untested. It was her duty to coax out their intelligent capabilities.

"Baited trap," Mai offered, planting a hand on her hip and using the other to gesture. "The Bloody Mess on the floor in there could have led him here and tried to kill him." Yasuo and Hanae exchanged a look of amusement. It was not protocol to give the victim a pet name; it was disrespectful. Hinata made a note to reproach them for it later. For now, it was not important.

Hinata nodded seriously. "It's possible. But there do not appear to be any signs of struggle. All of the damage seems to be concentrated to one area." Still, she was proud. Although she had a small idea of what had happened here, she valued their opinions. It would help to get everyone's perspectives.

"Well," Hanae began slowly, "the scenario is still possible, but if and only if Naruto and Bloody Mess were engaged in acts of a more personal nature." Although Hinata did not see it, she cringed, knowing the statement was another one that the Hyuuga did not want to hear. She seemed to be making a lot of those statements today.

Yasuo made a face, showing what he thought of "acts of a more personal nature." Hinata smiled inside. They were still so young. He was studying his notes, looking from his notebook to the doorway. "Hanae, which way did our target go?" She pointed in the direction he had gone without hesitation. He tapped his pencil to his chin and spent a few more minutes observing.

"Well," Hanae added. "There is the possibility that they came here to fool around and he just killed her and left."

"Sounds like an awesome boyfriend," Mai grumbled. She settled into a squat, sitting back on her heels, and began drawing circles in the dirt at her feet. She was getting bored. Hinata would need to move them out soon to keep them engaged.

She tried to suppress the wave of nauseous jealousy that was beginning to wash over her. As much as she hated to admit it, every scenario they mentioned made a little sense, but all of them depended on his trusting this girl enough to arrive at her apparent residence. It was more likely than unlikely he had been seeing this girl. It was hard to bear, but she had to be honest with herself. Naruto had never been interested in her that way, and she still had not seen him in over a year. Why shouldn't he act like any teenage boy would act around pretty girls?

_Because I don't want him to be around pretty girls,_ she told herself. Even if it was idealistic, she still tried not to consider him being with anyone else. It made her heart ache.

"Ah!" Yasuo cried suddenly, holding his notes above his head. "I've got it!" They all turned their attention to him, hoping for answers. He took up a dramatic pose and began voicing his notes in a voice filled with suspense. "Uzumaki sits at the bar with his team. From the mission description, they were three males, all about his age, slightly older. The four were enjoying a mission celebration. They were obviously drinking. From what I am told, a group of boys becomes a hunting party, looking for the best girls, especially where they can become intoxicated.

"So, this evening, Uzumaki wins the prize." Hinata felt a little woozy. "They come here, everything goes fine until the couch. Something happens. Uzumaki snaps, tears the poor victim to shreds, and flees." He scratched his ear with his pencil, pondering his notes. "Only thing missing is… what set him off?"

He leaned back against a tree, adding a few last notes to his page.

It did not make much sense to Hinata either. Naruto had only ever snapped when his emotions went haywire and he got extremely angry or upset. So, what happened?

* * *

A/N: So close! :O Yeah, that bit with Yasuo nailing the scenario is supposed to be funny. Realistic? No, not really. My guilty pleasure. ^_^ This gets you a little more acquainted with the team, I hope. Not as much action as there has been previously, but don't worry! :D

P.S, terribly sorry for the delay. I was sick all last week, for one thing, and I had a major poster project for my research due on Oct. 31, a senior project proposal due Nov. 1, and a 20 page paper due Nov. 2. This week should be much easier, so I'm going to try to get some more writing done. Thanks for the patience!

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If it's not obvious yet... the next chapter brings our two groups together! Ooo, what's going to happen? Find out, in _Chapter Seven--The Only One Home!_

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	8. The Only One Home

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Chapter Seven--The Only One Home

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"He should be around here, somewhere," Hanae was saying. "It's too bright up ahead for me to go much closer. The colors are too intense."

Hinata thanked her student and congratulated her on a job well done. "Yasuo, stay with Hanae. Mai and I will go on ahead and meet Naruto. Nice work, Cereus." Yasuo nodded his affirmation and took up a post in the treetops, while Mai and Hinata strode into the unknown. "Mai," she warned quietly. "Although I'd like to believe it's not the case, it's possible that Naruto is not himself right now. Proceed with extreme caution."

"Yes, Hinata-sensei," she whispered a little nervously.

Hinata didn't see him until she almost stepped on him. "Naruto!" she exclaimed, bending down to get a better look. Mai remained back a short way, as was proper in case anything became dangerous. Naruto was curled into a tight ball, wrapped around his stomach in the fetal position. His face was deathly pale and sweating. It looked like he had a fever. She placed a hand upon his brow. It was freezing. Worried for him, she dragged him to her chest and wrapped herself around him. "Naruto, we're here. I'm here," she whispered into his ear.

* * *

Kyuubi felt awfully weak and tired. Naruto was killing them, sure enough. Normally he admired the guy's stubbornness, but he was not exactly pleased to be dying. Naruto, for his part, had not moved from his position on the floor. It was making Kyuubi very cranky, and he was hungry to boot. Even ramen was better than being hungry. He grumbled and snarled, being too weak to pace. He _hated _ramen.

"Naruto, we're here. I'm here," came a quiet, female voice from the outside.

Chakra flowed into the area, wrapping around them both. Someone was healing them! Not much anyone could do about good old fashioned starvation, but after sitting alone in the middle of the out of doors without any care for your own well being, it would not have surprised Kyuubi that Naruto was ill.

O..oh! The chakra that flowed around his senses was clean, pure… delicious! He inhaled deeply, letting the sensations fill him up and replace the need for anything else. Any sort of instinct to eat, drink, or destroy was dwarfed by a different urge. He glanced over at Naruto, who had not moved from his spot on the floor. "Hehehehe… tough luck kid. I'll come back for you soon." It would not rightly be fair for him to take his side of the bargain and not hold up his end, would it?

His throat rumbled as he let his chakra seep out from between the bars, bubbling and churning over the still form of its host.

Naruto stirred within her arms. Her eyes popped open from healing him. "Naruto! I'm here, it's alright." She smoothed his face with her hand. His eyes twitched. It was then she noticed what was going on. His lips were blackening, his fingers lengthening. A voice so like Naruto's, and yet so different, began uttering unintelligible sounds. Her eyes widened even further. "Naruto!" she barked at him, grasping the sides of his face with her hands. "I'm here. Stay with me. Naruto, it's me, Hinata." She smiled at him shakily, wanting him to see, but the red chakra of the fox demon was already rising from his body. No!

She turned to her younger teammate. "Mai! Get out of here!" she commanded. The girl looked unsure, and shuffled her feet. "Mai!" she yelled again, willing the girl to hurry it up before it was too late. She turned fearful blue eyes toward her. "Get the others, and get out of here."

"Sensei! What about you?"

"Don't worry about me. Send for backup, just get the others out, and keep them safe. You stay away from here. Run straight to Konoha and tell them Naruto can't keep Kyuubi in, and let them know where we are. If I run with you, there's no telling who might get hurt, and I won't let it be you. I will hold him here."

Mai nodded, scanned Hinata with her eyes as if it were the last time she might see her alive, and dashed back the way they had come. Tsunade's voice echoed in her head. _Your team seems to be coincidentally designed for handling the kyuubi sealed within Naruto's body._ "Forgive me, Hokage-sama. This is not the Kyuubi for them to handle. Something is different here."

When she scanned with her Byakugan to confirm that Team Cereus was gone, she clasped Naruto's hands between her palms, bringing her face close to his as red chakra swirled around them both. "Naruto, are you in there? It's going to be alright. I'm not afraid." She didn't see any trace of him in the malicious red eyes. It worried her.

The shell of Naruto continued to stare at her. It frightened her more than a little, but the creature that looked like Naruto still made no move to hurt her. "I know you won't hurt me, Naruto," she told him. "And even if you did, I accept it. You've saved me more times than I can count. By rights, I already belong to you." She was not afraid. She'd seen him cloaked in fox chakra before, and she knew he could kill her, but she didn't think he would, and was prepared if he did.

_I've watched you my entire life, Naruto Uzumaki. I'd not be where I was if it weren't for you. I've wanted to be like you… I've wanted to be with you, for so long… Team Cereus would never have made it as far as they have without your inspiration. All this time, I'd hoped you'd be proud of me. I'm happy, Naruto… I thank you, and you must know that I_… "I love you," she whispered into the cold red eyes.

A blast of chakra cast her backwards, where she hit a tree flat. Instantly he was on her, within an inch of her face, glaring into her soft lavender eyes. The Kyuubi grinned at her with Naruto's mouth. "Hinata," he snarled, baring sharp teeth. He seemed to be regarding her name as if hearing it for the first time. This was not Naruto at all. "Yes, you are the right one!" He brought his face up to her neck, inhaling her scent and trembling.

Hinata was suffering through mixed emotions. She was unsure if she should be scared or thrilled. On the one hand, she'd often daydreamed about what it would be like to have Naruto this close to her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body, feel his breath on her neck… it was exhilarating! At the same time though, this was not really Naruto, right now, and she should be afraid for her life. Her emotions battled back and forth, willing herself to be scared to death and trying not to respond to the shivers he was sending through her breast.

Kyuubi-Naruto grasped her upper arms in a vice-like grip. The heat from the fox's chakra was scalding. She yelped; it hurt, and she knew her body well enough to know that it was going to leave a bruise or a burn, maybe both. She felt his teeth sink into the place where her neck met her shoulders. He bit down hard, but it wasn't quite strong enough to pierce her skin, and for that she was grateful. His body was pressed up against hers, and the whole ordeal was eliciting the most bizarre mix of pleasure and pain. She whimpered, unsure if she wanted it to stop or continue. The beast upon her let a throaty groan escape against her skin.

She shut her eyes, knowing escape was futile. She sank back against the tree, her muscles going slack. It felt like all of her strength had drained away. Her heart raced, frantic that this could turn out to be the end of the road for her. Despite her best efforts, though, she found she was not really afraid. _This life was already yours, _she wanted to tell him, though she had trouble finding the words under the circumstances._ It should be your choice to take it away._

She felt peace wash over her. "Naruto," she whispered. She felt her strength returning. It started at her toes and wove its way up through her fingertips. She'd always been afraid of touching him. She'd always been afraid of speaking to him. But here, at what may have well been the end of her life, she found the strength to do what she'd wanted to do for all of these years. She pushed his face away from her neck with her chin, causing an angry growl from her assailant. Then, without comment, she leaned her face forward, straining her neck muscles to get within reach, and touched her lips to his.

She felt the grip on her arms tighten to the point where the claws cut through her jacket and into her arms. She winced, but did not relent. She sensed it when the chakra storm around them intensified, rushing around them in spiral currents of red. The wind it created made her hair go crazy, but she didn't care. She'd finally gotten what she wanted, and now was as good a time as any to die.

She'd expected to get bitten, but to her surprise, he kissed her back, though with considerably more passion than she had been able to muster, timid and untried as she was. It gave her courage, convincing her to shift the angle of her face so their mouths could be even closer.

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it was over. All muscles in Naruto's body suddenly went limp, including his lips. He started to fall, but she wrapped her arms around his body, holding him to her chest. He was heavy though, so she sank them both to the ground. She tried to arrange him as best she could, for being anchored by his weight. In the end she managed to get him facing away from her, her arms wrapped around his ribs, with his head resting back against her left shoulder. For the time being, he seemed to be sleeping peacefully.

Hinata wondered what had happened. She was still a little shaken by the complex feelings of fear and excitement, but watching his calm face as he slept in her arms made her heart swell. It served to calm her significantly, and before long, she had her head rested upon his and was drifting in and out of sleep. She floated in the interim between sleep and awake, just enough asleep to be asleep with him, and just enough awake to need to leap into action at a moment's notice.

_Naruto…_

_

* * *

_

A/N: I'm still updating too slowly, and for that I am sorry. It's the last full month of the semester and I'm swamped with work. I hope you enjoyed my favorite scene in the story so far. :) Please tell me what you thought of it.

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Oo, looks like Kyuubi found something he wanted, huh? What will Naruto say and do when he regains consciousness? Try to wait patiently for the next chapter: Chapter Eight--Bare Souls

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	9. Bare Souls

A/N: As I said on my profile, I am sincerely sorry I took so long to update. I'm a fourth year cell and molecular biology major and the semester was just ending. It's been AWFULLY hectic. I hope it was worth the wait!

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Chapter Eight--Bare Souls

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She was jolted awake when he started trembling and whimpering in his sleep. She studied his face as his expression contorted into something troubled. "Blood," he said. "No, I don't want this!" Her expression softened. She knew what it meant. It was proof enough that he had been the one to kill the girl. He quivered against her like a leaf in the wind.

"Naruto," she said to him, shaking him slightly. His body moved, but he didn't wake up right away. "Naruto, it's alright," she told him. "You can wake up now. It's just me, Hinata."

His eyelids opened, revealing the summer sky blue eyes she'd fallen in love with when she was barely a teenager. It made her heart skip a beat. "Hinata?" he asked, hardly believing his eyes. "What are you doing here? Am I dead yet?" His whole demeanor had changed. He seemed very much to her to be like a little boy again, frightened and confused.

She caressed his face, smiling down at him. "No, you aren't dead, Naruto. You were close to it, but I healed the worst of the fevers you caught lying out in the wilderness." She didn't ask him why he was out here. After the past few hours worth of observation, she pretty much knew. "You're going to be fine."

His eyes shut, and his eyebrows drew together tightly. "No," he choked. "No I'm not. You should have let me die out here. You don't understand. You need to run away, Hinata. You need to kill me and run away, as quickly as possible." Tears welled beneath the curved lashes, twinkling in the sunlight.

Her expression darkened. She unclasped her hands from around his middle and lifted her arms so he could see where the blood had seeped through. She whispered into his ear. "Don't you think I can see that, Naruto? I'm not going anywhere, and you're staying with me."

His eyes widened when he could see what he had done. He tried to scramble free from her grip. He needed to run! "Let me go! You don't know what I've done," he moaned. "Let me go!"

Hinata squeezed more tightly, more worried than ever. It was a testament to how much he'd been hurt that he could not break free from her. He fought futilely against her, but in the end she won out, leaving him panting in frustration and exhaustion against her chest. Neither of them said anything, until moments later when Naruto began sobbing against her heart. "Hinata," he wept. "I killed her. I killed that poor girl."

She released her grip around his middle, shifted him so that he was curled up against her chest, and held his face to her breast. "I know, Naruto," she whispered. "I know more than you think." He didn't say anything, and Hinata could sense that he just needed to get it all out. It was a bittersweet revelation that he was confiding in her and letting his guard down.

When finally he'd wept himself dry, he spoke. "Hinata, why did you come for me? We have not seen each other in over a year."

She smiled, rubbing one hand up and down his back. "You know, Naruto, I would have thought after all these years, it would have become obvious by now, even to you. I think everyone else knows. The Fifth Hokage herself gave me this mission just because of it." _Among other things, _she added to herself.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, characteristically missing the point.

She sighed. "I love you, Naruto." She felt him tense. "I've always loved you. This, right here," she continued, meaning the current way they were positioned, "is all I've ever wanted. The only thing I have ever wanted for myself."

He sighed. "You know, Kiba told me, but Kiba thinks he knows everything and I never took him seriously." She chuckled. "Hinata," he added, far more seriously, "this can't ever be."

She had feared he would say that, but despite it, she was proud of herself for finally having told him how she felt. However… "I knew you'd say that, Naruto. I just need to know why. Am I still not strong enough?"

He shook his head. "No, not at all, Hinata. That's not it." She waited, knowing he would tell her when he'd found the words. "You didn't see what I did. I don't want that to happen to anyone. I can't be with anyone."

She knew there was a time when she would need it. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the small piece of bone. She rotated it in her fingers, allowing it to catch the light. If she had to make a guess, she would have guessed it was a finger bone. After she'd finished observing it, she held it in front of Naruto's eyes. They threatened to pop out of his head as he rolled over her knee and was suddenly violently ill. She rubbed his back as his body painfully retched. He shuddered, apparently frightened of the contact. "You have to believe me," he tried to tell her, his voice breaking on the word 'believe.' "I would never have… I didn't want to…Kyuubi…"

"Naruto," she said firmly. "It's not your fault. It's going to be alright. I'm here for you." She tipped his chin up to look him square in the eyes. "I'd not be alive if it weren't for you, hundreds of times over. I'm not afraid of you." She shrugged, making her wounds clearer to him. "These scratches have not killed me, and they haven't made me change my mind either. I still love you." She leaned forward slowly, kissing his brow as gentle as the wings of a butterfly, just to prove her feelings.

When she was able to look him in the eyes again, he looked so broken and weak she thought her heart would crack. "You…you do?" She nodded, silently praising the wisdom of the Fifth Hokage for sending her. Naruto was in the worst shape she could ever imagine possible. She was only glad that she could be strong for him when he was unable to be strong for himself.

They sat that way for a while, Naruto apparently lost in thought, Hinata watching him and trying to guess at his thoughts. She had a hard time imagining what he must be thinking, having that on his conscience. "Hinata?" he broke in suddenly.

"Hm?"

"I'm starving. Can we go get something to eat?"

She wanted to laugh. It was so everyday Naruto, it made her want to cry for joy. She hoped it meant he was thinking like himself again, and not like he was some sort of monster. "Ramen?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Konoha…" he mumbled. Reluctantly, he nodded.

* * *

A/N: Ah, yes, an update. Sorry it took so long. I'd comment more but I need to get writing! ^_^

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Naruto is about to head back to the Village. Can he keep himself under control until then? Hang on for the next chapter:_ Chapter Nine--Who the Hell Are You?_


	10. Who the Hell Are You?

Chapter Nine--Who the Hell Are You?

* * *

They met the backup party about halfway back to the Leaf Village. As Hinata had expected, Tsunade had sent Yamato, Sakura, Sai, and Kakashi, each for their various reasons. Team Cereus was relieved to find their sensei alive and mostly unharmed. Yasuo and Hanae did not seem at all impressed upon seeing Naruto, and Mai looked very long and seriously at his face. Hinata guessed that she could tell there was a difference, having been the only one to see him before.

The backup team was not at all perturbed about not being needed. Actually, quite the opposite. They were more than happy to be able to visit with Naruto, and grateful that they didn't need to dance with the demon fox today. Unlike the fledgling team Cereus, they were not afraid of Naruto unless he already _was _the demon fox. They easily fell into step for a pleasant walk home. No one mentioned the core problem of the entire mission. No one asked about what had happened, not even Team Cereus. Hinata was proud that they had a mature sense of delicacy. She made a note to give them at least a brief synopsis later.

The first night they camped out, Hanae slept fitfully. After the third or fourth time she awoke, haunted by ugly nightmares, she noticed that Naruto Uzumaki was not sleeping in his bedroll. Naturally, this pissed her off. She was not about to let him run away again, after all they had gone through to get him back. She gathered her chakra and activated her birthright, making Naruto's chakra signature visible to her eyes. It was a new technique, one that had never before been seen in the world. It had been her father's design. He'd been the first to have the eyes that allowed anyone to track chakra signatures, and he'd simply kept it hidden.

Hanae had not. It had made her special, but it had also made her envied, and no one liked her much. Despite that, though, it had landed her with the best team and teacher she could have ever wished for, though she rarely ever told them that. Hinata Hyuuga had an eye jutsu of her own, and it was also very highly chakra related, though not quite the same. Basically, using her technique, she could see the glare of chakra residues left by any part of the person that touched a surface. Each individual's chakra was uniquely different in subtle ways that were difficult to detect. That, coupled with the fact that in areas of high traffic, it was hard to even track through the brightness. The fresher the track, the brighter the signal. She really needed to get some glasses to help her cope with the glare, and she had a long way to go before she mastered its use.

Naruto's trail was the easiest she had ever tracked. It was so brilliantly strong that she could have followed it through her eyelids. She could tell by his movements that he had left the campsite in an effort not to be seen or followed. Stealth, however, was useless against Hanae's eyes.

"Well, well," Hanae muttered when she found him seated at the crest of a hill. He flinched. "Running away again already? You're not getting away if I have anything to do with it." She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and stamped her foot into the dirt.

"You weren't who I expected," he muttered. "If anyone back there was going to track me, only Hinata could do it unaided."

Hanae frowned. His voice sounded weaker than she had expected, as if he was fragmented and upset. And this was the jinchuuriki? "I guess you don't know who I am then. No one can evade my eyesight." She placed herself at his side. "So. Why are you out here?" Hanae was not the type to beat around bushes. She didn't like wasting time.

"Thinking," he replied simply. "You?"

She scoffed. "My team just tracked you down, as our mission dictated. I wasn't about to let you run off again, you coward."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you calling a coward?"

"Hmph. I think my captain is wrong to care about such a wuss. You were thinking of running away. What gives?"

"Oh yeah? Your captain, really? And who's that?"

She blinked, confused. "Hinata Hyuuga, of course."

Naruto stared at her, then burst out laughing. "You almost got me there!" he chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Nice one. I haven't laughed in a few days. Thanks!"

"What's so funny, moron? I wasn't kidding."

His face immediately sobered. "When did Hinata get a team of her own?" It made him jealous. He had never been trusted to be the leader of a team. It also shocked him into a newfound respect for the woman he'd never looked twice at as a genin.

"She's been our jonin leader since sometime last year! Where've you been, under a rock or something?" She fixed him with an indignant stare. This guy was so far detached, it was a wonder that Hinata Hyuuga still found him appealing. She was not sure she approved.

"Oh. Well, who the hell are you?"

Her eyes blazed, flashing deep emerald. "Hanae Ariakado. Everyone knows who I am. Everyone." It irritated her to no end that he literally had no clue what was going on in his village anymore. She could not have said why, but she expected more from him, somehow.

"Hm, well that doesn't make any sense. If everyone knows who you are, why don't I? What makes you so special anyway?" His eyes closed, making his face even more vulpine.

She grinned, winking at him. "Because, Naruto Uzumaki, I am the _only_ one in the entire village who can defeat the Kyuubi demon."

Naruto's eyes widened. This… girl, just over half his age, was capable of stopping the Kyuubi? His voice was hungry when it escaped his lips. "_HOW?"_ If there was a way to stop Kyuubi, he needed it, and now. As it was, he was too dangerous to roam freely.

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Wouldn't you like to know? She leapt to her feet and danced on her toes. "Goodnight, Kyuubi. Goodnight Naruto."

He was perturbed that she had addressed both of them, but he merely frowned. "Goodnight, Hanae," he muttered as she disappeared from his sight.

"Oh, and I should mention," Hanae began lingeringly, clearly expecting to pique his interest. "Hinata Hyuuga is in love with you, Naruto Uzumaki." His breathing stilled. Whatever came next was sure to be important. "I want you to know that, as the only—human—being—capable—of—defeating—_you_—if you so much as make her wince in pain or cry even just once, if I suspect she is upset, unhappy, or endangered…" he cringed listening to her acid words, hating himself with every utterance, knowing he was capable of all of those things. "Naruto Uzumaki, I will not hesitate to kill you outright if you hurt my sensei. Pleasant dreams," she finished with a sickeningly light-hearted voice.

* * *

A/N: I'm getting so much writing done now that I am on break. The finishing touches have been put on Second Chances, so its just a matter of uploading them now. This story is almost complete, just gotta end it in the next chapter or two. Looks like there are going to be about 18 or 19 chapters. I hope you have enjoyed it so far. Remember when reading and commenting that I love writing, but I am not a professional. I do this for fun, so it's not going to be perfect and I doubt I am going to polish it as much as I would if this were my job. As always, thank you very much for reading and reviewing! This one has proven to be my best work so far, and it's clear from the number of hits and favorites I have received on it. I will try not to disappoint! ^_^

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_Hanae is quite the firecracker! How in the world can this teenage girl defeat Naruto? You're in for a surprise in: __Chapter Ten--While You Were Out_


	11. While You Were Out

Chapter Ten--While You Were Out

* * *

She was gone. Her words remained clear in his mind, echoed eerily by his own words to Mizuki almost a decade before. "_If you ever lay a hand on my sensei… I'll kill you!"_ Almost at once, he realized how much potential this girl had, and it caused a mix of emotions in his tattered psyche. First he felt just a little fearful. He had no idea what sort of power Hanae had under her command that was supposed to quell the pure destruction of Kyuubi. Whoever she was, that was quite a feat. It did surprise him that he had not heard of her before.

Hanae Ariakado...a force to be reckoned with. It made him wonder what Hinata's other two students were like. Clearly, the Leaf Village was producing progressively more formidable ninja. In no time at all, his peers would look like genin again.

The next thing he felt was a strong kinship toward the fiery-tempered girl. This was definitely normal for him though. Naruto always felt a strong bond with anyone who obviously had spirit. Hanae had a foul temper, a lot of strength, and clearly cared about Hinata. His thoughts meandered to what forces might have shaped the young kunoichi, but more importantly, she was fighting for something very important. It was a spirit that needed tender care and free rein at the same time. Hinata would be the perfect teacher for her. Grudgingly, he had to admit that Hanae was a lot like himself.

The next thing he needed to consider was what to do about Hinata. Although she had confessed love for him several times, and even declared that she did not fear him after learning of what he'd done, he didn't think she fully grasped the magnitude of the situation. She was in grave danger just being near him. He'd never forgive himself if he hurt her, or anyone in Konoha for that matter.

Just then, he began feeling the first tendrils of inner heat that meant Kyuubi was making his presence known. He had wondered where the bastard fox had gone off to. He just had been too tired to really care, and had hoped maybe his attempt to starve the fox had killed the demon, if not himself. Apparently he'd been wrong. Pity. It'd be some time yet before the thing was conscious enough to converse, though, so he hurried to complete his thoughts.

He tried to imagine what life would be like with Hinata, but if he was to be honest with himself, the contact they had had in the past 24 hours had been the most he'd really seen of her. She'd always been so shy before that she'd often faint around him. It hardly gave him much perception into her character. From what he knew, she was quiet, a little weird, cute, but had always been a ninja lacking in confidence and skill. Whenever he had seen her fight he had cheered her on and encouraged her hoping she would find her inner strength. In the end, he decided he had no idea who she really was. It certainly would not hurt to humor her and let her buy him some ramen someday, but there was one matter to take care of first.

As if summoned, Kyuubi's chakra bubbled in the pit of his belly, beginning to draw Naruto into his consciousness.

"Hinata, you ought to run away," he mumbled to himself, thinking no one was nearby. The soft gasp of surprise from the treeline told him otherwise. He seemed to have a gift for summoning the people in his thoughts tonight, he thought to himself grimly.

"Naruto?" Hinata called, moving closer.

"Stay away!" he growled brusquely throwing a hand out in her direction to tell her to stop. She didn't comply. Fearing he might lose his grip on himself any moment, he added, "Kyuubi is pulling me in, Hinata. I don't know what's happening, and it won't be safe." His thoughts desperately willed her to leave the area.

Before he lost his control, though, he heard a second voice from the shadows. "That's why I'm here, asshole." Hanae. It was the last voice he heard before Kyuubi's.

* * *

"I have a bone to pick with you, whelp," the thick voice snarled from behind the bars. The red eyes became visible moments later as the menacing eyebrows slowly lifted.

Naruto felt his stomach turn at the word 'bone,' but suppressed it. If he had to argue with Kyuubi again, he wanted to be strong and well this time. The damned fox was going to need to be taken down a peg or two eventually. He was in charge here. "Yeah, well it so happens I'm not your biggest fan right now either," he retorted, taking up a solid stance with his fists clenched at his sides.

"You tried to kill me." It narrowed its eyes at him, accusatory.

"No, I tried to kill _me_. I can't kill you. You just so happen to reside in me, so your death is a consequence of mine. Sorry about that," he finished with a halfhearted shrug. He meant it to be sarcastic, but apparently the fox misinterpreted him this time and visibly relaxed. Whatever.

It grinned at him, its mood entirely changed. "I know who I want, Naruto. Have you thought about our deal?"

"I told you, no deal. There's no way I'm letting you loose on the world, for however brief." He narrowed his eyes at the beast. He had been dead set on letting his life fizzle out before he woke up in Hinata's embrace. Now, he didn't really have the motivation to try it again, but he didn't really know what to do. It seemed he was at an impasse, but he wouldn't—couldn't—consider the fox's request.

"You're a fool boy. You know I can burst out of here, sort of, when I want to? I merely lack the right focus… most of the time." The last words were drawn out a little. The subtleties of the fox were never lost on its host though, even if Naruto was generally oblivious to everyone else's social hints. Being so intimately close with the most dangerous creature to walk to earth put you in touch with its slight habits though, he supposed.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. The fox merely laughed. Naruto didn't really like where this was headed.

"Hehe. While you were out, I met someone." The sharp teeth curled into a rictus, clown-like grin. "I saw her, smelled her, felt her, tasted her… if you had not returned when you had, I'd have had her all to myself." The fox stretched out its awful claws and practically preened with this revelation.

Hinata! He suddenly felt very angry. How dare Kyuubi even think of touching Hinata! A dirty scoundrel like the demon fox didn't deserve a sweet, innocent girl like Hinata. Wait, where had that thought come from? He supposed it had something to do with a mix of worry for Hinata and hatred for the fox. His brow creased in concern. If what Kyuubi said was true, for a moment of weakness, the fox had taken over his entire body and used it as he saw fit, with or without Naruto's consent… and he had not even been aware, even after returning to consciousness. What it meant was, the deal Kyuubi offered was not necessary from Kyuubi's point of view. He supposed Kyuubi could not do it all the time though, or he'd have fully seized control by now. It left questions unanswered, and it chilled him with fear for what it might mean for the future.

He knew he could not accept Kyuubi's bargain. It put everything he loved at risk. It had to be a bluff… a scare tactic. Kyuubi was lying. No way could he just take over and march about the world while Naruto was awake, healthy, and strong. He decided to call his bluff. "Prove it," he challenged, eliciting the fox's eyes to bulge. "Leak on out of here. Show me what you can do. I'm not exactly convinced."

The fox's laughter was less than comforting. He sniggered, a throaty sound that sounded confident and smug. Kyuubi inwardly thanked his lucky stars that the moment was just right.

"Sure."

* * *

A/N: Ahhh, yes, there is a battle brewing. :) You're about to figure out why Hanae is important. :P

* * *

Our friends are about to dance toe-to-toe with the Nine-tailed Fox in all his fury. Will Hanae be able to live up to her destiny? Read to find out in: _Chapter Eleven--Courage of the Blossom_


	12. Courage of the Blossom

Chapter Eleven--Courage of the Blossom

* * *

Hanae felt her pulse quicken. This was about to get bad. She had been on plenty of missions before, but not many of them had included a real battle, and absolutely none of them had included a particularly dangerous battle like the one that was about to occur.

She was trained for it, sure, but theory was much different than practice. Fighting with Yasuo and Mai was still kid's stuff, in essence. Yasuo and Mai never tried to kill her. Nonetheless, this was what she was born to do, a fact that her teachers had never failed to ingrain in her young mind.

It was her born duty to fight toe to toe with the Nine-tailed Fox. It was something that only she _could_ do, without getting hurt. It was her mother's kekkai-genkai. Her father's had been an eye trait. Her mother's was an odd ability that was only a defensive maneuver, and few even knew she had it within her. Her mother had been a peaceful person, just like her father. It was incredibly strange to everyone that the two had produced someone as foul-tempered as Hanae.

Despite her temper, though, Hanae was very caring. She just was not comfortable showing it. Since her parents had disappeared, she had no one to care for her. But then, after the ill-mannered tomboy graduated from the academy and had been placed on Hinata Hyuuga's team, she'd found the place she belonged. Hinata, Yasuo, and Mai meant more to her than she could formulate into words.

And now her sensei was in danger. She'd practiced for this moment since she was old enough to hold a kunai. It was the battle she'd prepared for. Although she knew she was ready for it, it didn't quell her nerves. Outwardly, she might seem focused and unafraid, but inside she was terrified.

From the edge of her consciousness, she heard the backup team arriving. They could see just as clearly as she could that the Jinchuuriki of the Leaf Village was losing his control. Red chakra began bubbling out from his skin. His lips blackened, and his eyes became red and slitted. The hands of the eighteen year old young man lengthened and sharpened into claws meant for rending and tearing flesh.

"Naruto!" Sakura called, a move that was quickly proven a mistake as the red pair of eyes turned all attention her way.

Hanae didn't have time to think. Her feet moved, and in a split second she was standing before Sakura, dragging Hinata behind her and shoving her to the ground behind Sakura just as a concentrated blast of destructive chakra connected with her body. Had Hanae not been there, Sakura would no longer exist. She didn't have the focus to spare to hear the backup team gasp. Of course, they did not know her kekkei-genkai, so they assumed she was doomed.

As the angry red blast of chakra meant to destroy the people behind her hit her crossed forearms, the collision caused her shield to become visible. It was green, just like the glow of her father's eyes. It flickered as the blast forced against it, but it held, just as it was meant to. All the energy that sought to destroy her and her comrades burst into large red, pink, and white flakes and whipped around in a wind storm before fluttering harmlessly to the ground.

Flower petals.

Her attacker's eyes widened, and then narrowed, unsure of what to do. Her eyes blazed green in response, meeting the malicious red of the shell of Naruto Uzumaki. Her heart pounding in her chest, she smiled at him. "Told ya," she said, proud of how calm she sounded. Her comrades released the collective breath they had been holding, and Sakura stared in awe. She had thought she was done for, and clearly all of her friends had felt the same way. Hinata looked worried, but she said nothing. This was her student, after all, and she knew very well what Hanae Ariakado could do. If she weren't so focused on Naruto and what he might do next, she might have been beaming with pride. Everyone present, however, had been shocked at how quickly she had thought and moved her feet to protect both kunoichi.

It was Naruto who spoke next, although his voice was different. It was twinged with a gravelly masculine voice that must belong to that of Kyuubi. "Stand aside. You're in the way of my prize." He fixed her with his most menacing stare. It _was _a successful one, but it didn't affect Hanae. She was confident now that she could hold him at bay, and she was not about to let him claim Hinata.

"Over my dead body," she proclaimed with conviction. "You won't be having my sensei this evening." She held the gaze of the fox who snarled at her as it contemplated how it was supposed to get through the irritating, orange-haired obstacle.

She felt all sets of eyes on her, boring into her back. Any other time it would have made her squirm uncomfortably, but she knew this was a different sort of attention: she knew something they didn't. She'd figured it out from the beginning, and she doubted even Hinata knew what was up. Hanae had always paid attention more than most. She might seem selfish but she was always observing, trying to know as much as she could about her surrounding environment. To her, it had been mostly clear to her from the moment they'd found the body of the other girl, and from the time that she knew that Naruto met them as himself, with Hinata safely in hand.

Naruto didn't want Hinata, but _Kyuubi_ did. As a girl that had enjoyed being around and learning about animals, she knew many of their habits. Even if Kyuubi was a fox demon and not truly a fox, his nature was still evident. Kyuubi the fox wanted a mate. But Kyuubi, being an ancient fox demon with tremendous power, was not about to accept the first female that his host was able to bed. When Naruto had attempted to fool around with the Bloody Mess, Kyuubi had rebelled and destroyed her. He didn't want her. She was impure. Easy. Disgusting to the fox. She had not been good enough.

But Hinata… Hanae had known for months that Hinata had been mooning over some guy. Whenever they were training and she thought they were not watching, she was lost in thought. The dreamlike look on her face told Hanae she was in love. She just had never known with whom. Hanae had never seen her with anyone, but as soon as Hinata had mentioned Naruto, the 'friend' they needed to track, Hanae had noticed the change in her eyes. They were softened. When they discovered the murder scene that Naruto had apparently caused, Hinata did not want to believe it, even if she knew better. She didn't want to believe that he had done it, and was trying to hold her memory of him untarnished and dear. If Hanae had to guess, Hinata had only ever loved Naruto, and if that was true, well… it meant Hinata was still intact, and still pure. She was waiting for the one she wanted.

Hinata had come out here tonight to check on Naruto, perhaps talk to him and get closer to him. The rest of the team had come because Hinata had come and they thought they might be needed. Hanae had come out here tonight to weigh Naruto's character. Whether she thought it was her place or not, Hinata's safety was important to Hanae. Demon fox or no, Hinata was in love with Naruto, and it was not going to stop her from caring for him. However, Hanae, being the only one with the power to stop Kyuubi, _could_ stop Naruto from harming her, as she was this very moment. If and only if she could accept Naruto, she would do her best to see that they were together. If not, well... he hoped that she could, because she did not want to try to convince Hinata that Naruto was a poor choice. It was the least she could do after all Hinata had done for her. She sincerely hoped Naruto was worth all the trouble and that she could help to bring the two together.

After all… foxes mated for life.*

* * *

A/N: Woo! What a fun jutsu, eh? "You hit me and everything turns into flower petals. Nana nana boo boo!" Chakra vs. Hanae = useless. ^_^ Kyuubi's biggest advantage, null. Score for the good guys! Well, this was a fun chapter. Can't wait til I get you guys toward the ending! Thanks for reading! The number of views and reviews each time I post a new chapter is very heartening! I will continue to try my best to keep you happy.

*From what I can find of foxes, this is not PRECISELY true: "Red fox mating behavior varies substantially. Often males and females are monogamous, but males with multiple female mates are also know, as are male/female pairs that use non-breeding female helpers in raising their young. Females mated to the same male fox may share a den. Red fox groups always have only one breeding male, but that male may also seek mating outside of the group." found from the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web. Vulpes vulpes, the red fox.

* * *

Well, the Fox's chakra has been made useless. So how does the fight continue from here? Well, you will just have to see in:_Chapter Twelve--Cornered Fox!_


	13. Cornered Fox

Chapter Twelve--Cornered Fox

* * *

"You will not be having my sensei this evening," the orange-haired beast told him evenly. Oh, it was infuriating! Here she was, this violent-tempered little wench, between him and the female he so desperately craved. It was obvious that the violet-eyed female had feelings for this form in which he was ensorcelled, which was all to his liking. It meant that he could have her and she would accept it. She'd be a willing mate.

So why did this girl seek to destroy his happiness?

It was even more frustrating that she had some sort of ability that deflected his chakra. That meant there was no way he was going to just blast his way around tonight, as he usually did. He'd either have to be cunning or be fierce. Cunning expended less energy, and since he was hoping to take the mate he had tried to take just the other night and would need all that energy, cunning would be more efficient.

"I don't want to hurt her," he tried to coo, though it came out as a hostile-sounding threat to everyone else. "I want to be her friend. And look, she wants me, too, don't you…." He searched his host's memories for the girl's name. "Hinata." The lavender-colored eyes looked in his direction. He saw uncertainty there. It was understandable. She knew very well that he was not really the one she longed for, but there was still enough attraction there that he could win. Irritating that it had to be this way. He was extremely impatient to claim his prize.

The object blocking his path stood her ground, working her feet into a more solid stance and drawing a kunai. He watched as she poured green chakra into it and thrust it into the ground. He didn't know what she was about. He also didn't like not knowing what she was about. It took all his effort to not snarl at her and tear her to shreds. But, of course… cunning was his first option, and he would need to stick to that plan. He settled for tearing her apart within his imagination by slicing her with his eyes. It was... moderately satisfying.

"This kunai is infused with my chakra," she declared. _Hmph_, he though. _Well and so you cocky little bitchling_. "Nothing you can do to hurt these people will even touch them. Anything containing my chakra acts like a lightning rod. It draws your chakra toward itself and poof!" she made a gesture with her hand, opening her palm to the sky. "Your power becomes harmless yet pretty little petals." She smirked, causing his eyes to smolder into malicious coals.

Ah. So that was it. Well, wasn't that about a bitch? Hmm. So, if the chakra wielding wonder was not about to swayed… "Hinata," he purred. "Come with me. Don't you want to be with me?" He saw her eyelids flicker. "Yes, that's right. I want to be with you. I've always wanted to be with you." He tried to sound as pouty as possible.

"Hinata!" yelled a masculine voice from behind him. It was from a silver-haired ninja that was mostly masked. Dimly, Kyuubi thought he recognized the bloodline's features. Something 'Fang,' he thought. His mate's gaze broke away from his own and followed the source of the voice. Grr! These people! "Hinata, you know that is not Naruto speaking. It's Kyuubi. Don't let him trick you."

"Hinata," he interjected, eyes flashing with annoyance. "I won't hurt you, or anyone else. Naruto and I made a deal." It was a lie, but it was half true. He had made the deal to Naruto… the fool boy just had not accepted its terms yet. "Naruto made me promise I would not hurt anyone or destroy anything without his command. But he has to give me what I want." He smiled and saw her flinch. "I want you."

She was listening! He saw her wavering. He was so close! But just then, the little whelp he had tried ignoring charged forward, kunai drawn. "Hanae!" Hinata called after her, but she was too late. 'Hanae' was not listening to anyone but her own heart song, and it was telling her to fight.

Kyuubi crouched, prepared to meet her. Just as she neared shouting her war cry, he pounced, slashing with claws at full extension. She dodged more easily than he would have guessed, twisting midair and taking a swipe at him backhanded. She was fast! She didn't get him this time, but he knew not to underestimate her anymore. Before he could react though, she had countered around his movements and ended up behind him. Just as he turned to catch her, he saw her fist flying toward his face. He turned sideways and made a powerful leap backward.

"Hanae!" yelled the same voice from before. "Do not kill Naruto! Aim to immobilize."

"I… know!" she grunted, flying at Kyuubi elbow first. Kyuubi spun sideways, lashing out with his claws again. He tried to blast chakra at her again when he landed, but as usual it just exploded into fountains of flowers. How utterly irritating. This female was probably the most bothersome thing he'd ever seen.

She came at him again, but this time when he dodged, there was a strange looking black outline of a pair of demonic dogs, roaring and charging at him. He blasted chakra at those, believing that they were not under Hanae's mysterious protective blanket. He was right. They splashed down on the grass, a harmless pool of black ink.

"Nice work, Sai," said the pink haired female he had tried to crush earlier. Just then, a cage of wood burst out of the ground and wrapped around his arms and legs. Kyuubi's eyes flashed, looking for the source. He found it in a bland-looking older male ninja, who smirked at him.

Damn it! He couldn't move! He tried to burst free just be letting his chakra loosen, but for some reason, he could not budge the tree-like enclosure that had him trapped. Hanae walked slowly toward him, one booted toe placed delicately in front of the next. She was smiling in the way only victors will smile at their defeated enemy. It made him snarl viciously. How had he been bested by a girl child that was so much younger than him, she was barely significant at all? He snapped at her and gnashed his teeth. She brought her face closer to his, so close he could smell the sweat on her forehead. He heard a grinding noise close to one of his arms, and moments later she held a kunai close to his face. "Remember what I said about these?" she mocked him, waggling the metal weapon. "Your chakra is useless around me. You have only your strength and agility. Against eight of us… you are useless."

Hinata strode forward, joining the younger kunoichi, who stepped back to give her the space. The serenity that was evident on her face made Kyuubi furious. He'd been thwarted again. It made his insides ache. "Kyuubi," she said, her voice hoarse and strained. "I need to speak with Naruto."

He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. The last thing he wanted to do was admit defeat and flee, having not claimed his right to her. However, if he let her speak to him, maybe she would talk him around? And maybe she wouldn't, too. It was a gamble. He didn't like it. But what choice did he have? He met her eyes and nodded. "Hinata," he whispered beckoning, low enough that only she could hear.

She leaned closer to hear him better. "Yes, Kyuubi?"

He strained against his bindings to deliver his message to her ear alone. "I speak truth. I promise. No more harm. My only wish is you."

Her brows drew together as she pulled away, searching his face for the lie. "I understand."

It was not as much as he had hoped for, but it would have to be enough. He fled Naruto's soul, grudgingly giving control back to the young man he had usurped.

* * *

When Naruto blinked, his eyes were blue again. "What happened?" he asked, sounding just as tired as he felt. His friends all looked at him, waiting for it to dawn on him. He tensed his arms, feeling the restraints, and hung his head dejectedly. "Ah. Can we just kill me now and get it over with?" he muttered tonelessly. "I'm not safe." He let tears slide down his cheeks, feeling utter despair wash over him.

Hinata grasped his chin in her hand and dragged his face up to be level with her eyes. "Naruto…" His eyes were so full of pain that it made her heart clench. They seemed to be begging for someone, anyone, even her, to put him out of his misery.

"Hinata… let me go. I can't do this anymore." Tears flowed freely from his blue eyes, unrestrained. "I'm not worth saving. All I do is hurt people."

She laid her other hand on the side of his face and slid the one from his chin to its other side, so that she was framing his face with her pale hands. She turned over her shoulder and called to her teammates and his. "Can I have a few minutes, please?"

The younger members of the group exchanged glances. Yamato and Kakashi looked to the other for guidance, then each nodded slowly in turn. Kakashi sighed. "Hinata, I hope you know what you are doing. If you need us, we'll be within earshot." He jabbed a thumb toward the treeline to indicate where. She nodded, and Kakashi gave the signal for the rest of them to leave. Yamato released the wood jutsu, freeing Naruto from his bonds. He collapsed forward into Hinata's embrace. She supported him and let his weight pull them both to the grass.

Hanae bent over to place a hand on her sensei's shoulders. "I trust you, Hinata," she said gently. "And you have my support." She flashed a brilliant smile at Naruto as well, which seemed to confuse him dimly. Then she kissed his cheek briefly before leaving them alone.

* * *

A/N: Ahh Kyuubi... you snarky bastard you. *laugh* Well... do you believe him? Foxes are supposed to be cunning! I hope you like the quicker updates. :) I certainly like having the vacation time. :P

* * *

Hinata knows about the deal. But what does she think about it? Foreshadowing should have told you, but find out more in: _Chapter Thirteen--The Same Eyes!_


	14. The Same Eyes

Chapter Thirteen--The Same Eyes

* * *

Sensing now was not a time to shock him in any way, Hinata merely held him. Much like before, Naruto was a wreck. He trembled at her touch, frightened of what he might do next. At the same time, though, he was so exhausted and weak from being hungry and emotionally distressed that he didn't have the strength to leave her. He simply let her hold him and hoped beyond hope that he would not try to hurt her. _Damn you, Kyuubi,_ he groaned inwardly.

As the minutes stretched on, she considered her already-made choice. It was so unlike Naruto to be this broken and distraught that it solidified her decision. She would make him a hero. Her. Hinata Hyuuga, the academy's biggest disappointment, the last to become a jounin of the Rookie Nine. She would turn his fate around. It was the least she could do for him. "Naruto…" she began, stroking his chest, hoping to calm him down.

He shuddered in her arms, reviled at the sound of his own name. "Hinata, you should not be here. I could kill you."

She shook her head, smiling faintly, understanding that he was trying to push her away because he was incapable of fleeing. "I don't care. I'm not afraid." She let the words hang in the air before she continued, wanting him to truly hear them. "Naruto, Kyuubi said he made a deal with you." She felt him tense, holding his breath. "I want you to agree to it."

He shut his eyes tight, trying to will away the images that surfaced at her words. "You don't have any idea what kind of 'deal; the Demon Fox can make, Hinata. I can't make _this _deal. It's hardly a 'deal' at all. I'm not sure how we really even benefit from the terms he has set."

She squeezed his shoulders, trying to ease the tension that was there as she spoke. "He said he'd be your weapon if you give him me." Again she felt him stiffen in her hold, wiggling as if he were uncomfortable. "So, again, knowing full well what it is that he asks, I want you to accept his deal. I am willing to do this."

His voice rose in volume, not daring to believe what she was saying. "How can you say that? Do you know what letting it roam loose can do to the village? What it _has_ done to the village?" If she didn't remember, he did, and not because he was capable of remembering that far back in his young life. His father had died to save the village because of the thing within him, so the last thing he wanted was to be the one responsible for undoing it all. If he did, he was sure to prove that everyone had been right about him all along. He really _was _a monster.

"Naruto," she persisted, "I believe him. I believe Kyuubi. His eyes… they are just like mine." She looked up to the sky, remembering the longing in the depths of its eyes.

Naruto had no idea what she meant, however. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

She lowered her eyes, conjuring the image of the panicked and woeful pair of red eyes. "Longing. Just as I've wanted to love you for so long, so has Kyuubi desired to have someone near. Because I know how that feels, I believe if you give him what he wants, he will be grateful and do as you ask, as he has told you."

She cradled his head in her arms, pulling his ear to her heart so he could hear its steady, elevated rhythm. "Naruto, let me do this, for you."

"Hinata, you can't—"

She cut him off. "No. Let me finish. I've waited so many years to tell you how I've felt. I've trained as hard as I could and then harder, as you have. I was the last to make jounin. I have a team of misfits who will eventually surpass all of their peers. I've developed jutsu that Neji envies, and I've done it all for you. You've saved me more times than I am able to count and I've given you so little. All this time, I've wanted to be by your side, so that you can see me and acknowledge that I am strong. But that, I see now, has been a selfish endeavor. I owe you so much. Let me do this for you, and pay you back."

"Hinata, you don't have to 'pay me back,' and you don't know what you are agreeing to," he urged.

"Don't I?" she countered, pulling up her sleeves to reveal the deep rivulets he'd left in her arms. "You weren't conscious," she snapped as she noticed his eyes widen with revulsion and surprise. "I was. I'm not a child, and neither are you. Just as you've fantasized about anyone else, I've laid awake at night imagining I was in _your _arms. For eleven months out of every year, I can be. For the twelfth month, I can pay back my debt to you. I am…aware…of what that entails.

"You cannot imagine what having complete control of Kyuubi means, Naruto, to you and to the village. With Kyuubi at your beck and call, you can lay waste to any enemy. You'd be Hokage for sure," she exclaimed breathily. "You'd be a true hero. Konoha's greatest fear will have become its greatest weapon. Everyone would be happy. You'd be Hokage, the most powerful ninja in the five great countries. Kyuubi would have his mate for one twelfth of the year... I would be with you."

She paused, letting him think about the possibilities, trying to gauge his reaction. She could see that, at the very least, he was listening. "It's all I've ever wanted. Naruto, would you accept me as your girlfriend?"

He stirred in her hold. She lifted her arms so he could get up out of her lap, upon which he turned around to face her. She could see something rekindled there in the depths of his blue eyes. Hope?

He nodded.

She felt her heart leap against her ribs and began beating its way through. Without even a word, he wrapped both arms tightly around her arms and buried his face in her shoulder. "Thank you, Hinata."

"You're welcome," she whispered, barely able to speak for her shock.

"All this time, I've never even noticed, but now that I look back, it was so clear. Hindsight is 20/20 they say. You've never stopped caring, all this time, even when I didn't care about myself. Even when I lost control and tried to kill everyone, you stepped right up to save me from myself. Your support is… impressive. Any man would be blessed to have someone like you to depend on. I will do my best to never let you down again. I'm so sorry I ever did before."

_Wow._ That was something she was not expecting. Trying to get around her surprise, she returned his embrace, rubbing his back. She never wanted this moment to end. "I won't ever let you down again either. I've always been afraid, but I'm not scared anymore. Without you I'd already be dead. I know that now."

He sighed, heavily, allowing the decision to sink into his being. "Alright, so… I'll be sure to make sure Kyuubi knows that his two little stunts so far have cost him this year's month. This time next year I have to let Kyuubi have you back." That thought alone made him feel almost like a bad person, but she had insisted she wanted it. Maybe if it didn't work out the first time he could go back on his word...? "That gives us eleven months to prepare for it."

She nodded, thrilled beyond speaking. It would not be a month she longed for. Despite her brave words, allowing Kyuubi free reign over her body was pretty frightening. He'd barely had a few minutes with her and she'd been badly injured. Although she knew intrinsically that she would not be killed, it did not guarantee she'd emerge from the fox's den unscathed. In fact, it was extremely likely to be the opposite. Although at this point in her life, she felt she could handle it, it did not necessarily mean she had marked the day on her calendar as a cause for celebration.

She merely nodded instead.

"Hey," he said warmly, already returning to the true Naruto, in much better spirits. "Let's get going." He stood and held his hand out to her. She accepted, eyes wide and innocent, hardly believing that all of her hard work was finally paying off. It was almost dreamlike. In such a short space, the weight was lifted from his shoulders and he looked just as Naruto as ever. He lifted her to her feet, a soft look in his bright blue eyes…meant just for her. "Oh, and one more thing," he added with a smirk as he tugged her toward him. She collided with his chest, knocked slightly off balance so she was forced to lean on him, her arms braced against his torso. He brought his other arm around behind her, steadying her against his body. "I get to kiss you before Kyuubi does."

The hint of a grin resting on his lips, he pressed them to hers. It was a chaste kiss, just the sort a girl imagines at first. It was a heart-fluttering, fairytale ending, perfect kiss of affection with all of the feeling but none of the lust. She was glad his arm was around her, because if nothing was holding up her suddenly boneless form she would have melted upon the ground. As he drifted away from her, she could not help but laugh softly. "Kyuubi did kiss me first," she whispered, breathless against face. "But Kyuubi does not kiss like _that_."

He could not decide whether to laugh or growl. He chose to compromise. "Well, then I guess I will have to be first next time."

She blinked. "Next time? But... I've already been kissed."

She could see his smirk even in the dark. "So? Bet there are other things you have not done."

She could not help it. She flushed from her head to her toes. Perhaps she was a woman now, and had had all the fantasies a maturing girl could dream up. Perhaps she was keenly aware of what mating herself to the Kyuubi's container meant to her body. But, she was still virgin at the end of _this_ day and she clung fiercely to what modesty she had. She'd been brave enough to confess to her love, and to kiss him when he was not even himself, but she was not capable of throwing herself at him. Now, her wildest thoughts were not just fantasies anymore. They'd evolved into promises. It was more than a little daunting.

Suddenly she felt very dizzy. The next thing she remembered, Naruto was holding her limp body in both arms and looking down at her face worriedly. "You all right?"

She smiled as she came to, sincerely hoping this was the last time she would ever faint. "Yeah."

Sensing what was the matter, he righted her onto her feet and grinned at her. "Hey, no hurry, Hinata. Almost a year until we have to worry about _that._ You call the shots." Her visible wave of relief made him smile. He'd never realized before how darned cute she could be. All the other girls he'd met had been so rough and feisty that they sort of scared him. He'd spent his teenage years worrying about what to say to a girl so as not to get beaned in the head. With Hinata, he needed only to worry about her fainting. It was a little weird, but at least he didn't need to duck for it. "Hey, hop on," he said to her, leaning over to offer her his back.

"What?"

"You're probably tired, and you did just faint on me, so I can carry you back."

She didn't like that she already looked weak again, but she was thrown off by how happy he looked suddenly. Besides, being carried by Naruto would not be so bad. She thanked him and hopped onto his muscular back, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was cozy being this close to him.

"I think we can finally go home," he said to her cheerfully. "Thanks to you, Hinata."

No, being carried by Naruto was not bad at all.

* * *

A/N: *gasp* *pause* AWWWWwwwwww!!!! Hooray!!!! Obviously, some kinks will need to be worked out, and Hinata just signed up for Kyuubi's Mercy... uh ohs! Please, if you have a moment, take the time to review (and please try to keep things at least constructive... I can take a negative review but not if it's just brazenly insulting).

Also, I want to take a moment to say thank you for everyone who has been reading this so far. ^_^ I'm glad it has been so entertaining! An even bigger thank you for my reviewers. I know it's tedious to write a review, and I don't take it lightly. Until next time!

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So, Hinata and Naruto are an 'item' now, but what will everyone else think of their little bargain? Well, I suppose you will find out in_: __Chapter Fourteen--The Fox is Out of the Bag_


	15. The Fox is Out of the Bag

Chapter Fourteen--The Fox is Out of the Bag

* * *

A few hundred yards into the trees, they met up with the remainder of their respective teams. Sakura looked concerned but relieved. Kakashi seemed to be taking in the sight of Hinata upon Naruto's back, wary and always ready in case action was needed. Hanae looked faintly pleased. Yasuo and Mai appeared to be more tired than anything, and upon seeing Hinata safe and smiling, they visibly relaxed and turned toward camp. Sai and Yamato, as usual, showed no outward emotion. It was a tense group of people. They had a faint idea what was going on, and it was hard for them to be at peace with it. Kakashi seemed to be especially troubled.

He pulled Naruto aside once everyone was settled into camp. When they were alone, he turned to face his former student, crossed his arms and fixed him with an expectant stare, waiting for him to speak. Naruto tried not to make eye contact. "I didn't ask her to," he mumbled sheepishly, feeling like he was suddenly thirteen all over again. There were few people in the world that Naruto respected more than Kakashi; being under such scrutiny made him uncomfortable and self conscious.

It was also unnerving to be stared at with one eye while not being able to see the rest of the face and the expression he may or may not have been making. When he answered his voice was hushed yet intense. "I don't know what it is that she believes or what it was that you told her, but whatever you're up to, Naruto, I'm not sure that I'm okay with it." Naruto lowered his gaze, fearing that he was not quite okay with it either. "Is she in danger?"

His eyes flashed, suddenly feeling very defensive. "How dare you think of her as if she's some weak and fragile little girl, Kakashi! She's eighteen years old, and a jounin with her own team of genin. She's not a child. I didn't tell her _anything_. She figured it out and offered the solution. And yes, of course she is in danger. Look at me, for crying out loud. _Look at me! _I'm the most dangerous man in the five great countries. I can't even control myself anymore. I have the power to level the Leaf Village with barely a thought. And she _loves _me." He paused, and when he spoke his voice sounded much more calm. "Yes, she is very much in danger." And he still hated himself for it. But what was he supposed to do? She was right about everything, and he owed her just as much for saving him as she thought she owed him for saving her, and the only thing she wanted was to be with him. It was an easy thing to give away.

Kakashi took a deep breath, knowing there was not much to be done. Naruto was right about Hinata. Though she was quiet and had not always been strong, she had _become_ strong, and whatever it was she had decided, she was not about to go back on it lightly. This was not going to be good, whatever it was. "What is it, exactly, that she has agreed to?" He asked slowly.

Naruto closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Eleven months out of the year, I will have complete control of my demon. He will be a malleable tool I can use against our enemies... But one month out of the year, my demon has complete control of me... and it came with a price."

All of the air escaped Kakashi's lungs on one word, a name. "Hinata." Naruto nodded. Kakashi slumped against a tree, letting the realization take root. "You mean to let a demon--that was crafted to destroy--to have his way with your new girlfriend?" Naruto's face went pale, confirming his guess. "Oh no…" His heart felt sick. Hinata was always such a sweet and caring girl… to let her do this to herself was inhumane and unforgivable. "You can't be serious," he stated with concern.

"Don't act like I put her up to this, Kakashi. She practically demanded it of me. It was her idea! Well, after it was Kyuubi's idea, that is. I went out there—" he waved a hand absently toward the way they had come "—to kill myself and she refused me the satisfaction." His former teacher's eyes widened. "She's tougher than I remember. I've _already _hurt her, and she isn't scared! The only time she even fainted was when…" he realized he had said too much but he continued on anyway. He was not a kid anymore, and this man and he were now equals. "…was when I kissed her."

Kakashi regarded Naruto as if for the first time. So many things had happened. Had he really tried to kill himself, for the good of the village? And Hinata was sacrificing her body for thirty days a year, also for the good of the village? As much as he hated the circumstances, he had to admit it was a clever situation, and required more courage than he had expected of either of them, even Naruto. He sighed, accepting the current state of affairs. "The Hokage will need to know." Naruto nodded. "She needs to know why it is two of her best jounin will not be on active duty for a twelfth of the year. I don't know what the rest of the village is going to think, so in the time leading up to it… well, you're going to have to marry her, Naruto. A month's holiday each year won't be that suspicious if you're taking it with your wife." Naruto tensed—he'd never considered that—but nodded, knowing the older man was right. "There's an old hunting cabin twelve miles north of the village. It's mine, but I don't use it anymore. You are welcome to it anytime you need. I think, for your purposes, the privacy will be welcome. No one else should know. It will only make them fearful." Not that they didn't have a right to be. Making a deal with the Nine-tails was probably not going to favor their side of it.

He breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Kakashi. You've always been as solid as the Hokage rock faces." They clasped hands. Here, at least, was one person who would always understand and trust him. He'd never realized before how grateful he was to have that.

"One more thing…" he added. "Keep that girl close." He meant Hanae. "She loves Hinata, and her jutsu may save Hinata's life someday. You will probably need her."

"Yeah, she told me she was the only one alive who could fight me. That must be why everyone's still alive, huh?"

Kakashi nodded. "You've not been around the Village much lately, Naruto, but Hanae is kind of a sensation in Konoha. Her ability acts like a transformative shield. Any chakra that touches hers is turned into a storm of flower petals. It renders your uncontrollable blasts of demon fox chakra instantly harmless." Naruto's eyes widened. "Your chances of defeating her are next to none. Keep her close, and maybe everyone will escape this ordeal unscathed."

He nodded. "Thanks for the advice. I will keep it in mind."

* * *

After Cereus made its report, Kakashi's team reported. When both teams had finished telling the Hokage of the success of the mission, Naruto and Hinata appeared before her alone. She raised an eyebrow, uncertain of what they intended, but thinking she was ready for anything. "Lady Hokage," Naruto began nervously, "the Demon Fox has given me complete control of his chakra. He is a willing servant of the Leaf Village. "

Her eyes popped. Okay, maybe she had not _quite _been ready for that. "How can you be sure? If this is true, this is good news." She laid her hands flat on the table, struggling to keep from fidgeting.

"He told me so. And, he told Hinata much the same." It still didn't sit right with him, especially not as the words left his mouth toward another human being.

Her gaze shifted from him to Hinata and back again. "Why would he speak to Hinata, and more importantly, how can you trust his word? He only knows how to destroy."

Hinata spoke up, her voice a lot more calm and sure than his had been. "I am the cost," she replied evenly. "For a month out of every year, the demon fox will suppress Naruto to spend time with me. It was his only demand, and one I have chosen to meet."

"Absolutely _not_!" she cried angrily, appalled at what they were suggesting. Her posture stiffened, making her appear as tall as possible while she remained seated "For one thing, we can't afford to let the Kyuubi suppress Naruto… he's the only thing standing in between the fox and its destruction of the Leaf Village. And more importantly, Hinata, you could be killed! This is insane!"

Without a word, Hinata calmly unzipped her jacket and removed it, letting it fall to the floor. All she was wearing underneath was the mesh shirt common to Shinobi and a black undershirt. The sleeveless shirt made the painful grooves in both her arms glaringly obvious. They had begun healing, but were angry, swollen, and red. Naruto hissed, still angry at himself for having done it, even if he was not himself at the time. Tsunade's jaw dropped. "These wounds," she said quietly, "were sustained at a time when Naruto was completely suppressed. I know the danger of the situation, Lady Hokage."

She stood straight and proud and continued speaking as their leader stared in horrified awe. "As Leaf Shinobi, we are all sworn to protect this Village and secure a brighter future for the children that may someday take up that same duty. It is an honor to die for that cause. Many names are now carved on the Memorial Stone to dignify that cause forever. My sensei Kurenai's lover's name is on the stone. His name was Asuma Sarutobi, the son of the Third Hokage, who also died to protect the Village. I know what may come of my decision, Lady Tsunade. This is a great opportunity for Naruto, and for Konoha, but it's also a great opportunity for me. It has always been my wish to be with Naruto, and now, in doing so I can also help protect the Village. How can you deny me this?"

It was a bold statement, and everyone in the room knew it. Tsunade was moved, but not convinced. "How certain are you that this one month of the year, the fox won't level the village?"

Hinata smiled, for she had expected this question. "Because he cannot. With your permission, Lady Tsunade, one of my team, Hanae Ariakado, can be made aware of the situation and placed on a solitary mission for that thirty day period. You are aware of her abilities, I think."

The Hokage smiled in return. "I had almost forgotten. It may not save _you_, Hinata, but the Village can be protected if things get out of hand. I see you've both thought this through. I guess there's no stopping you, and so long as the Village is safe, there's not much I can do to say no. When is the next time the Fox will suppress Naruto?"

"A year from now," Naruto answered. "We have a year to prepare. The only people that know are you and Kakashi, but Hanae will know soon."

The Hokage nodded. "Alright. I'll talk to you about it again when the time is near. You are dismissed."

* * *

A/N: Aww, crap. School started today. Luckily because it's written, I can still update fairly quickly. I hope you liked the chapter. Admittedly, the plot has to slow down for a little bit to build up the next *gasp* moment in the story. Bear with me... there is still some more excitement to come. Thanks for reading. :)

* * *

So here's the story of a boy and a girl, together but only just... and a year before the "big day" puts everyone in danger. Hear the girl's thoughts next time in: _Chapter Fifteen--The Pain of Scheduling_


	16. The Pain of Scheduling

Chapter Fifteen--The Pain of Scheduling

_*Note: approximately ten months have passed from the last chapter_

* * *

Hinata garbed herself in a form fitting lycra suit that had been custom made for her training and headed toward the river. Her time with Naruto over the past several months had been a dream come true for her, but frustrating… _really_ frustrating. Her nerves were completely shot, and the only way she was really going to beat them out was through training. When she was tired, she tended to be a little bit calmer at least. Exhaustion was getting her through most of the time spent with Naruto because she was less jumpy and didn't feel quite so eager to get away from him. Lately, it just was not working though, and time was running out. Something would need to be done, and quickly.

She knew that Naruto did not feel quite the same way as she did about him, and it was true she would love him despite that, although it would have been nice if he returned the feelings. In the long run, though, that was not really important so long as he respected her and treated her well, and to his credit he was certainly trying. He made an effort to show interest in what she was doing, talk to her regularly, and open his apartment to her staying there. He had made all the right moves so far and done everything that she had hoped he would.

He'd even kissed her, more deeply than he had the first time, but with enough restraint that she knew he was not pushing her or anything. He was careful never to kiss her in public so she didn't blush or faint, but did go as far as holding her hand. Yes, Naruto was doing a fantastic job of being the gentlemanly boyfriend who never rushed her.

The fault was _all_ hers. Both of them were keenly aware what time of year it was. They'd been seeing each other for nearly a year now and barely made it past the kiss. Every time the petting sessions had gotten beyond the kiss and a couple rubs, she had gotten so nervous that she was unable to continue. She had thought she was beyond all her shyness by now, had even prided herself on her bravery and the ability to come out of her shell! She had been confident and unafraid until now. She just could not bring herself to get too close.

It was rather humiliating in fact. She'd spent her entire life dogging his steps, dreaming of him, longing to be at his side. During the mission where she had dragged him from the edge of death and danced with the Kyuubi for the first time, she had been courageous. She had told Naruto and the demon inside of him that she would not be frightened. She was not afraid of injury or death anymore. She had stared down the fox with her heart pounding in her chest and had kissed him when she knew it was not her crush who controlled his lips and motor functions. She had been exquisitely valorous… then.

But she was after all this time, somehow, deathly afraid of having sex with him.

She knew the day would come when Kyuubi would supersede Naruto's body and come for her, and it woke her from nightmares in a cold sweat. It would be a time when she would need to be exceedingly brave, for she would be alone with the fox spirit with no help whatsoever, completely at his mercy. She had spent a mere few minutes with the damned beast and barely escaped with her skin intact. Back then it had been easy to act brave and tough. Why was it that it was easy to be brave when danger was thrust upon you, but when you scheduled danger it suddenly became worse? That must be it. Because she knew almost to the day exactly when Kyuubi would take over, it meant she knew exactly how long she had to prepare for it, and therefore, had all the time in between to fret about it. A split second decision like she had made wayyy back in the day only caused a sharp and intolerable fear for a few seconds, but a decision that you waited a year for caused a dull terror that sharpened as each day passed. It made her wonder morbidly what it would be like to schedule your own death, and she envisioned the scenario in her mind.

* * *

_The phone rings._

"_Good afternoon, Hinata Hyuuga," says a voice on the other line. "This is Death. When would you like me to drop by and end your life?"_

"_Oh I dunno, Death… tomorrow is not a very good day for me. What do you recommend, next Thursday or in fifty-seven years?"_

_

* * *

_

No, no matter how much she thought of that one, she was never going to come up with a good answer. No one wanted to die tomorrow, but at the same time, who really wanted to know when they were going to die? It would make her crazy to think about it, just as it was making her crazy now thinking of her time with Kyuubi.

Every time she saw him now, she saw the fox simmering beneath the surface. Sometimes she had nightmares at night where Kyuubi would leer at her and tell her all the lewd things he was planning when the day finally came. Some of them were so real, she woke up unsure if they had been dreams at all or if the fox's consciousness slipped into hers when they were both asleep. Every time Naruto kissed her, she flinched if she even felt his teeth, imagining that they had grown to points and he was about to attack with her mouth at his mercy, offered before him like a naïve, apple-cheeked virgin sacrifice. When his hands roamed, she felt claws even if they were not there.

It had gotten to the point where she had asked Sakura for anxiety medicine to calm her nerves. It was not fair to Naruto that she felt this way, and she knew that if she told him he'd lose all the progress he had made in getting back to being his old self. He'd been laughing and smiling and eating ramen like old times. It would be wrong of her to take her problems to him, especially since he was the cause and there was nothing that could be done about it. She would just have to endure.

After her practice with her Rotation, she felt refreshed, exhausted, and ready to find some advice. Time was running out, and to continue fumbling in the dark was not only childish, but bordering on extremely irresponsible. Kyuubi was going to get her one way or another, but she didn't want Kyuubi to be the first to see her naked. And so, she made her way to the hospital to talk to the one person she felt comfortable asking for advice.

As she walked, she reminded herself, "You got yourself into this, Hinata. And you're not a quitter, even when it does look tough… or impossible. 'I never give up. That's my nindo, my ninja way,'" she quoted Naruto aloud as she had done so many times before. It was a nindo that she had adopted and followed.

So instead of going to Naruto for help, she had gone to Sakura Haruno. The pink-haired kunoichi had been on the same team as Naruto for a long time and still maintained a close bond because of their missing teammate. She knew him well enough to know how to help Hinata, although Hinata would have to choose her words carefully. Besides that, Sakura could be extremely nice, and not too delicate to answer the awkward questions she had.

She waited in a chair of the lobby of the hospital, not wishing to disturb Sakura's work. Sakura was always either working or training tirelessly to improve her medical ninjutsu. The program in the Leaf Village for training medical ninja was growing stronger as time went on. When Sakura finally appeared at the other end of the hallway, Hinata waved pleasantly. Sakura smiled back, tugging on her dark gloves to replace the latex ones she wore while at work. "Hello Hinata," she said amicably as she finally came near enough to hold a conversation. "How are you?"

"I'm doing alright I suppose," Hinata answered. "Do you have some time today? I can come back later if you are too busy."

Sakura shook her head. "No, it's fine. I'm done for the day. What's up?" She rested her wrists on her hips.

"I need some relationship advice, if you don't mind." She blushed faintly. Shyness was still not entirely beyond her. It was always so daunting to ask for advice in your love life!

Sakura smiled ruefully with understanding. "Well, you are dating Naruto so I am not sure how much help I can be but… sure. I will try. Let's go get a snow cone or something while we chat."

Hinata nodded. "Sure."

As they sat down for their treat, Hinata was amazed that she had not truly befriended Sakura earlier. Sakura was actually quite pleasant when she was not punching Naruto in the face or fawning over Sasuke (which she never did anymore anyway). Her work at the hospital had really grounded Sakura. While they finished the cold snow cones, the two of them chatted about everything except the issue, like the students they each had. Although Sakura was a jounin like Hinata, Sakura's work at the hospital had given her a different set of students. Hinata trained Shinobi, just as her sensei had done before her. She taught team work, confidence, and what it meant to be a Leaf Village ninja. Sakura taught medical students. She taught them how to diagnose injury, knit together torn flesh, and how to deal with life and death. They were the same, yet different, and both inexorably tied to Naruto.

Strangely enough, nearly everyone seemed tied to Naruto. It was truly awe-inspiring how often Naruto had a major effect on someone's life. Hers, for example.

When at last, pleasantries had been exchanged, they changed the subject. "So," Sakura began. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Well," she began. "I'm in love with Naruto."

"Yes," Sakura said with a short laugh. "We can all see that, Hinata. It's not news."

Hinata continued, nervous that if she broke her speech she would find herself unable to continue. "But I'm fairly shy, you know."

Sakura nodded. "Yep, we all pretty much knew that, too."

She swallowed, then braved onward. "So when he… tries anything…I sort of freak out." The way she emphasized it made it clear exactly what she meant.

Sakura immediately understood. "Ah! Yes, I understand."

"You do?" Wow, that was quick! Hinata was glad someone understood the issue, and she didn't even have to go into too much detail. Score!

"Yep! And I have the answer for you!"

"Y-you do?" Fantastic! She should have come to Sakura before. Her heart started fluttering, glad she was finally getting somewhere with this. _Don't worry, Naruto,_ she thought. _I'm still learning, I guess, but I'll get there. _"Good, can you tell me?"

"Yeaaaa, I'll _show_ you, but you should have said something before. A snow cone is _not_ what you need." She laughed, glad she was not the last one of the Rookie Nine to figure out how to manipulate human emotions.

"Oh," she replied, not sure she understood Sakura's meaning.

Sakura grinned. "Well, if you wanna get laid and don't have the guts to go for it, you need the ancient Japanese cure for shyness."

Hinata was not sure she liked where this was going. "There's not… really a cure for shyness, is there?"

"Of course there is!" She stood, then grabbed Hinata's hands and pulled her off the bench. Her voice had a singsong lilt in it that only made Hinata more suspicious. "It's called 'alcohol!' It's fun, fairly cheap, and makes everyone do things they'd never do while sober. Trust me."

* * *

A/N: I realize this update was a little slower than you've been used to for this week. Sorry :) Yes, icky icky time skips. I hate them too, but there is not enough really going on for me to make a dynamic chapter that someone progresses ten months worth of efforts. This chapter and the next should summarize what was going on in that time though.... I hope you enjoyed it. Things pick up a lot more in the next chapter so we're getting to our last pocket of action :D

Thanks to everyone who has been reading!

* * *

Hinata's off to medicate with some liquid courage. What IS Naruto thinking though? I guess you'll find out in _Chapter Sixteen--Breaking the Barrier!_


	17. Breaking the Barrier

Preliminary Author's notes: Yes, sorry about the chapter mix up. My labels are weird because the last chapter was added after the story was complete and is labeled 14.5 ^_^ Sorry I can't respond to you anonymous reviewers too. *sigh*

The moment you've all been waiting for is here. Yes, this would be the grown-up chapter. Don't skip ahead! I know you want to. :P Disclaimer: The following chapter contains content that may be difficult for some readers. Reader discretion is advised. (p.s., don't hate me... it's my first time. *blush* This is the first love scene I've ever written or published, so be gentle). Enjoy all the innuendo.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen--Breaking the Barrier

* * *

He watched her as often as possible, still trying to understand the mysteries of the woman who had given her life to him. In his own way, he loved her, but only as one could love the stranger who fed the hungry: distant admiration. He was comfortable around her, but the attraction had not flared into _anything _quite yet, after all these months. He _wanted _to fall in love with her. She was beautiful, strong, smart, and compassionate. He wanted to dream of her at night. He wanted to, but he couldn't, as much as he tried. He owed it to her; he'd hurt her and would again. For that, he could never completely forgive himself, and so he tried to do as much as he could for her. He tried to be the man she loved and tried to give her what she deserved. He could only hope that in time, the moments they spent together would place his heart where his brain was and let him be happy with the way things were. Naruto knew that she knew that he didn't truly love her, and if it was possible, he wanted to give her that.

And so, he watched her, hoping for that moment when it would all click into place. The moment that she was the only woman in his heart, the one that he wanted to be with forever, her and none other. It had been ten months since they'd agreed to this. He cared for her, but he needed to cross this bridge with her before the fox did, and he was afraid to do it. He was afraid of losing control again and tearing her to shreds. He was terrified that there might be a possibility that Kyuubi would put him in the backseat and leave him just conscious enough to watch. He shivered, banishing the thought, and focused his eyes on the faraway princess of his life.

She stood, alone in the middle of the river. The current raged around her ankles, but she stood stock still, eyes closed. She was wearing a skin-tight black jumpsuit, designed strictly for her for this kind of training. After a few moments of gathering chakra, she began to move. To him, it looked like a dance. It was a series of spins, her arms windmilling and twirling around her body. Her eyes had changed into the Byakugan, but her expression remained calm and soft. Then, confident in the jutsu's abilities, she began to toy with it, increasing his impression that it was a dance. She spread her arms wide behind her, fingers outstretched and head bent backward. She lifted a knee, still twirling, then brought her arms into her chest, straightening her posture and appearing to spin faster. The smile she wore was exultant, an artist in love with her craft.

As he watched her, he swallowed a lump in his throat. This was only the second time he had caught her during training. The last time had been years before, and she had clearly refined her technique. She was gorgeous. He burned the image into his mind, impressed with her grace, then tore his eyes away as she slowed to a stop. He didn't want to be here when she left the area. He was infringing on a private moment.

He made it back to his apartment. She'd spent the night here last night, as she had a few times before. They were trying to become more used to being around each other for longer periods of time. It had been her idea to get used to sleeping habits. Apparently, he snored. And drooled. They'd not done anything, really, in the ways of intimacy. Of course, he'd stolen a few kisses, but she was not comfortable yet. She seemed afraid of his touch, though he could not blame her, so he didn't press. Something was missing... what was keeping him from letting go and enjoying the girl that loved him? He sighed as he sunk into his worn down couch, flipping on the television and covering up in a blanket. There was nothing good on, so he left the screen on a rerun of his second favorite show. Before long he was napping.

* * *

He woke up with a warm finger to his lips. "Shhhh," Hinata whispered, giggling. His eyes widened, unsure what was going on. She removed her finger from his lips and crawled onto the couch next to him, rearranging the blanket haphazardly across them both. It was dark outside and throughout his apartment. She chuckled, curling up against his chest. "They'll hear us," she laughed.

"Who will?" he asked, confused. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, then smelled the faint veil of pipesmoke. She had been at the pub. Ahh, so she was drunk. He knew what drunkenness did to a person. It explained the sudden cuddliness.

"I dunno, anyone," she answered with exaggerated innocence. "You know what, though? I don't care." She tipped his chin down and kissed him. He wasn't one to refuse a good kiss, so he returned it, not at all depressed at the way the night was starting. It was easy to like a woman when she was not shrinking away from your touch. It gave him an idea, and he placed both hands around her back, sliding them up and down and appreciating her curves. "Mmm," she said against his mouth. "That feels nice."

He grinned, feeling like a giddy boy. The possibilities flooded through his mind like a dam had broken. He'd never been able to think of her this way, and now he was imagining all sorts of dirty bits. "A bit of sake tonight, Hinata?" he cooed to her, rubbing her back.

"Mm-hmm," she hummed back. "I talked to my friends and they figured it out for me," she slurred. He'd never imagined a drunken Hyuuga could sound so adorable. "I'm not so shy anymore," she whispered seductively. She lifted herself off his chest, straddling his waist, and wiggled just to tease him.

He groaned, his whole body tensing. So many teenage years of pent up sexual tension—and so many months with a girlfriend who would let him kiss her but never give ought else—had made him easily worked up.

She laughed again, pleased at his reaction. "You like that. You like it when I'm like this." Her eyes clouded over with lust as they stared down at him. He nodded weakly. If this went any further it was bound to be their first time together. For him that was a cause for celebration, but he could easily hurt her if he didn't take it slowly. But with her staring at him like that, it was going to be tough to act slowly. That kind of look made a man hungry. He was rushing toward the edge of senseless fucking, and if he didn't hold himself back, it was going to be over too soon. She leaned over, giving him an ample view of her breasts. She'd stripped down to just her camisole and underwear, he finally noticed approvingly. She nuzzled his neck just below his ear, and he suddenly realized that if he didn't take control of this situation it was going to end here and now.

He returned the attention to her neck, eliciting a throaty groan. Then he wrapped her legs around his waist and stood, leaving the couch behind. He carried her to his room, holding her tight with one arm and dragging down the covers on his bed with the other. He set her down there, and she laughed nervously, smiling all the while. He was breathless. In a single night she had transformed from mildly shy to teasing vixen. Never before did he think she had this in her, and it made him realize that's why he had been holding off. She had seemed far too reserved, and he didn't think she would ever be able to handle this part of a relationship, so he was not able to think of truly being with her.

He removed his shirt and pants as if he had practiced for a 'getting naked' contest, leaving him only in his boxers. The air was cooler than his skin and made his arm hairs stand up. He shivered unconsciously. She bit her lip as he climbed into bed with her. Naruto kept her pinned with his weight, and returned to nuzzling and kissing her neck. She writhed beneath him, unable to help herself. He ran a hand over her taut abdomen, pulling up her shirt as he went. She helped him drag it over her head, a move that lifted her back off the mattress. He seized the opportunity to bury his face in her breasts, causing her to make sounds he had never heard before. He groaned against her skin, fighting a helpless battle against his own instincts and forcing himself to move slowly, deliberately.

She pressed as much of her body against him as she could. She was ready, he could feel it. She curled and uncurled her fingers against his back, unable to say what it was that she wanted, other than being able to gasp his name toward the top of his head. He squeezed his eyes shut, shutting out the undulating wave of human flesh beneath him, rising to his touch. Her skin was far too hot and far too soft for his self control to win this fight.

The moment had been delayed too long. He removed the last of the barriers between them, causing a sigh to escape from the young woman wrapped around him. He captured her mouth in a kiss as he eased himself into her. He felt her brows knot together as a sharp exhalation swept across his face. He stopped moving and looked upon her face. "You alright?" he whispered. She winced, but nodded. He hoped that the alcohol flooding her system had dulled her senses enough to ease any pain. He moved slowly at first to be considerate, but when she appeared to be doing alright—more than alright—he increased the pace until both of them were crying out with reckless abandon.

At some point, he lost all ability to restrain himself and, muffling a cry of almost animal relief, he spent himself into her. He felt his entire body tense as he did so, which caused Hinata to do much the same thing. Her fingers dug into the muscles of his back, and she gasped into his shoulder. He felt her body tighten, within and without, and shuddered at the feelings it created. When at last, panting and sweaty, they were both spent, he kissed her again, then settled in beside her. They lay, exhausted, hardly believing what had just happened.

Oddly enough, it was she that broke the silence. "Too bad it won't always be like that," she whispered, laying her head down upon his chest.

After all this time, he would have thought that he'd be past the fact that he had hurt her and probably would again, but he wasn't. Her careless words stabbed him in the heart. He squeezed her, realizing in that instant that he loved her more than he was willing to admit. He swallowed, wishing her words did not hurt so much. "I wish it were," he whispered. "I really wish it were."

"Mmm," she said into his chest, smiling. She was already half asleep. He lay awake for a while longer, worrying about the coming month. She didn't deserve what he was going to do to her, and he didn't deserve her.

He should have been happy, but he fell asleep troubled.

* * *

A/N: Yay, writing drunk Hinata was fun. :) I know there are people here that are probably wearing the frown face right now thinking the first time is supposed to hurt like hell. A little grimace doesn't cover it. Yeah, you're right, but keep in mind she's shitfaced drunk and probably can't feel her own nose before you go ahead and review, mmkay? :P

Next cause for concern: "what kind of dude takes advantage of the drunk girl?" Well, he is still a teenager/young adult and I'd like to think he can't help himself. On a more serious note, he is aware that this incident needed to get out of the way and FAST, and was probably glad for the opportunity. Even if she IS mad at him tomorrow morning, it as worth the risk...

...and fun too, don't you think?

* * *

So what happens tomorrow? Does this complicate things, make it weird, make it worse, make it better? Hmm. _Chapter Seventeen--Passionate_


	18. Passionate

Chapter Seventeen--Passionate

* * *

He woke up before she did, and propped himself up on his elbow to watch her sleep. She looked peaceful while she dreamed, and he wondered idly if she dreamed about him. He moved a tendril of hair from her eyes and trailed his thumb down her soft cheek, which caused her eyelids to flutter open. "Good morning, Pretty," he purred to her.

First, she smiled, happy to see him looking at her that way. Quickly, however, she realized that she was not wearing anything, and neither was he. Her face reddened, and she tugged the blanket up around her chin. "Did we…?" She didn't finish the sentence. She didn't need to.

"Yep," he answered, not bothering to hide his grin.

He watched the war of thoughts and emotions play out through her features with amusement. She had obviously liquored up so that it would happen, and now realized her plan had been successful. Now, her shyness had returned, but her modesty was even more ridiculous now that she lay in bed naked with the guy she had been dating for several months. He watched as the emotional barrier broke down. She had crossed 'the line.' It was silly to pretend that the line still existed. Slowly, resigned, she relented her hold on the blanket, then moved closer to him. He smiled at her as sweetly as he could muster, trying to appear as harmless as he could.

Then, in a courageous show of seduction, she planted her hands at either side of his head and kissed him as thoroughly as she knew how. It was a little awkward; she was not very good at it, but it was the feeling behind the kiss more than the skill itself that ignited a fire deep within his chest. "Good," she whispered against his lips. She snaked her knee to the other side of his body and pinned his hips between her legs. "Then can we do it again, please? I'd like to remember it this time."

His eyes widened. That hot look in her eyes was back with a vengeance, accompanied by a smoldering smile, but this was not a Hinata buzzing on sake rounds. This was the real one. He felt the familiar knot deep in his abdomen. She _was_ braver than before. He had thought there would never be a time in bed sweeter and more surprising than the night before, but he had been sorely mistaken. He obliged her, welcoming the morning by replaying the previous evening.

* * *

The romps in bed had steeled Hinata against her own modesty. The next few weeks were the best of their lives. They never traveled anywhere without the other, and were always seen holding hands, unwilling to let go of the sole being who had kept the other alive. It was not long before the relationship became public knowledge, and it seemed that their devotion was accepted and approved by their peers. The only objective standing between them had been dealt with. There would be no more surprises. Kyuubi could not botch breaking Hinata's virginity, so there was one less thing to hurt her. All barriers had been crossed.

There was only one matter left.

A couple of weeks before the Kyuubi's takeover, Naruto took his darling to a nice dinner. The food had been good, and Hinata had looked lovely in a soft blue gown. He'd dressed in a sort of casual-fancy black outfit. He never liked dressing up, but it was a good compromise for him to still look nice. After dinner they went for a walk in some of the secret hidden gardens of Konoha. They were secret because the medical ninja grew special herbs within its borders, but the most valuable herbs were disguised in the shadows of tall, flowering plants, shrubs, and trees, and this time of year, they were truly splendid to behold. Despite the beauty of the blossoms in the light of the setting sun, however, their eyes were only for each other. They took a seat on the rim of a large fountain as the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon glowed brightly.

"Hinata," he began, more sure of his words than he had ever been sure about anything. "I'm glad you did this for me. If you hadn't, I probably never would have been forced to know you the way I do now, and… you're the most amazing woman I've ever known. I'm so lucky to get to be near you, to be allowed to love you like I do. I never thought it would be possible to feel like this about anyone. I always thought I'd be alone, but… I want to be with you, forever."

He knelt before her, the fountain behind her radiating the moonlight in the aura of a goddess. Her eyes widened innocently, not believing what was happening. "I love you, Hinata Hyuuga. Would you marry me?" He held the ring aloft between them, a plea to the woman seated before him who held his heart in her hands, just as he held this ring in his.

To his surprise, she didn't faint, as he thought she would. He'd been prepared to pull her from that fountain, but it seemed her fainting spells had also come to an end when he bedded her. Instead, her cheeks reddened ever so slightly, the last blushes of her girlhood. "In all my dreams," she whispered, not daring to look him directly in the eyes, "I never even dared to dream of this." A smile bloomed across her lovely face, making his heart swell. "Yes, Naruto. Nothing would make me happier."

He grinned as he slipped the ring onto her finger. "In two weeks, my love…" he trailed off, but she understood.

"In two weeks, it's me against your demon. It will be alright. We can go through with the ceremony before then, and the honeymoon will cover this first time." She smiled sweetly, trying to reassure him in his doubts.

He still feared for her safety, but the time was quickly approaching when he would no longer be in control. He nodded instead, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and wishing that day would never come. She had endured so much for him already. Most of all, he feared returning to consciousness after the time was up and finding nothing but a twisted mess of bones where his new bride had been. Kyuubi had been silent since they'd last spoken, storing up energy for his month of freedom. Naruto felt sick just thinking about it.

As if reading his thoughts, she spoke. "Let's not talk about it anymore. It's going to happen in two weeks, there's nothing more we can do to prepare for it, and I don't want to spoil the last two weeks we have before it happens, alright?"

Grudgingly, he agreed.

* * *

The ceremony had been really nice for having been put together in two weeks. Kakashi caught Naruto's eye and nodded with approval, glad he had taken his advice. He looked uncomfortable in his best man's outfit, but he wore it with pride anyhow. He'd disappeared afterward though, and didn't show up at the reception. Parties weren't really his 'thing,' he had explained. Naruto imagined that being involved in a wedding had dredged up a lot of painful regrets, and he was especially grateful that his old teacher had even agreed to be involved in the first place.

The guests appeared to have been having a good time, dancing and carrying on, drinking themselves into dizzied stupors. He saw at least one new couple blooming on the dance floor. Kiba was flirting with one of the newly minted jonin, a woman Naruto had never met before. Now and then, he whispered something in her ear that made the woman blush. She couldn't have been any less than sixteen, and quite pretty. "Go Kiba," he whispered to himself.

Hinata heard him and chuckled. "He has had his eye on that one for a while," she whispered back to him. Don't you recognize her?" He shook his head. "He didn't either, which was probably a good thing. That's Konohamaru's friend, the one that used to have the pigtails and the attitude."

"Moegi? No way!" She nodded. Naruto's face was a portrait of disbelief. She had lost the pigtails, instead letting her hair flow free and long down her back. The tacky rouge spots on her cheeks were replaced with subtly applied blush and other makeup that really accentuated her face. Her lashes were longer, curling prettily over her doelike eyes. She had really grown up, he admitted. No wonder he didn't recognize her. "Wow, how times will change people. I really need to spend more time in the village." He finished watching the new couple as Kiba stole his first kiss, meshing her body against his own. He led her from the dance floor quickly. Naruto grinned, hoping his friend had found something worthwhile as a consequence of his and Hinata's wedding.

He nudged Hinata gently, and she too followed the couple with her eyes as they left the party for their own carnal adventures. When they were out of sight, she caught his eye and read into his look. He grinned jerking his head toward their exit. "Wanna... y'know?"

A broad grin slowly spread across her jaw as her only response, and he snagged her hand. They sneaked away from their own reception and hid among the trees like teenagers, stealing kisses at school. He took her right there, barely concealed beyond the firelight of the torches lighting their party. They managed to do a pretty good job of muffling the sounds of their lovemaking, except for Hinata's particularly loud squeak as she climaxed. Luckily, someone had said something particularly funny at the same time, and raucous laughter hid their lovefest from the throng of partygoers. They laughed as soon as they had finished, amused at the way having sex in public seemed to make it more fun.

"Hey," he said softly, nuzzling her ear. "I have somewhere to take you." He grabbed her hand and led her off into the night. The two of them traveled the entire twelve miles to Kakashi's abandoned cabin in their wedding clothes, giggling the entire way. When the door was in sight, he swept her off her feet and kicked in the door, proclaiming loudly that they were home. It made Hinata laugh. Naruto was being silly because, at long last, he was happy. His grin made her heart melt, as it had so many times before.

"This place is dirty," he said, snapping the comforter on the bed and causing a cloud of dust to rise. "But then, so are we… I like it." Hinata chuckled, wrinkling her nose and sitting down at the edge of the bed. He walked into the other room, and she waited. She heard a cork pop, and Naruto exclaimed "Aha!" He'd found wine. She waited for him to bring it in for them.

... But he didn't return to the room.

* * *

My sincerest apologies again for the lateness, though by now I think you know the story of my life, haha. I have finally finished all of my graduate school interview travels and have a few moments to myself. If I CAN, I plan to smash out the last few chapters within the next week to reward you for your waiting. I feel absolutely wretched for having made you wait so long.

That said, this is the mushiest, cheesiest chapter of all, but it's supposed to be that way for good reason. I hope it wasn't too disgusting, lol.

Clearly, the long awaited confrontation is next. There are several possible ways it could play out... I'll leave you to your imagination about what you expect. :D

Thanks for reading!

* * *

_Will Hinata survive Kyuubi? Chapter Eighteen--Hell is a Cabin in the Woods_


	19. Hell is a Cabin in the Woods

Chapter Eighteen--Hell is a Cabin in the Woods

* * *

She heard the glass crash, and ran into the kitchen to be sure he was alright. He was crouched in the middle of the floor, clutching his head in both hands and whimpering. "Not tonight, please!" he whispered. It came out as a hoarse growl though. She knew right away what was happening. It was going to be Kyuubi tonight... and for the next month. She swallowed hard, hoping she was prepared for it. There would be no more 'what ifs.' This was the moment she had been trying to mentally prepare for. This was the moment she had dreaded and fretted, the moment that had been so far off that it had tortured her all the more. This was to be her private pain, the dark shadow of an otherwise bright relationship.

She waited, trembling, as the familiar transformation coalesced. His lips blackened and thinned, revealing sharper teeth than before. His eyes became red and narrowed. The red chakra belched forth, surrounding his whole body in its menacing glow. All that Naruto tried to say then was one long snarl as the demon took his claim. "Goodnight, hun," she whispered. A sob caught in her throat as her love was locked away within his own husk. Finally, the red chakra settled into Naruto's skin and dissipated.

The red eyes turned to her then, and her heart sank. The mouth she was used to seeing in a gentle, mischievous smile contorted into a rictus grin. "Hinata," Kyuubi rumbled. "I've waited so long…"

She drew her body up, trying to appear brave. "Kyuubi," she whispered. She hoped Naruto would not be able to witness anything that was about to happen. She had thought about all possible scenarios for this time and had decided the best way to survive would be not to resist. At all. "I've waited for you, too." The words sounded foreign to her own ears, but the evil grin widened.

"Hehehehe," it laughed, making her blood chill. Then, moving with inhuman speed, Kyuubi was within inches of her face, malicious red eyes glaring deep into her lilac ones. She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "You're afraid," it accused.

She inhaled sharply, trembling. "You're wrong. I'm… excited."

The eyes widened, boring into her. His tongue barely touched his own lips. His claws gripped each side of her head too hard, squeezing her temples and making her skull ache. The tips of its talons pierced her flesh, just enough to make the blood well without making it run down her face. He swayed his head from side to side, inhaling her scent. As he did so, he began growling, a deep rattle in the base of his throat, a sound Naruto could never make. She shivered, and it was not because of the temperature in the drafty cabin.

It scared her, but if she wanted to be honest with herself, the danger of the situation _was _a little exciting. In many ways, this was Naruto, acting as animal as Naruto was able. It was not gentle, caring, spirited Naruto, but all the evil things about Naruto blazing forth with the intensity of the demon within him. As long as she convinced herself that this was somehow Naruto, she would be alright. Shaking, she reached forward and cupped his face in her hands. Her touch immediately made him shudder. He snarled and shoved her backward, causing her to snap into the wall. Immediately he was upon her, roving her body with claw and mouth. It was excruciating and reviling. Parts of her consciousness was thrilled by roughness, but parts of her were terrified by the magnitude of roughness. These weren't Naruto love nips, they were the jaws of Kyuubi and capable of rending flesh from bone. She didn't move as the beast appraised its prize, but she quickly realized he had a pattern to his attention. He tended to try to hold her still by digging in his claws, then nip and lick wherever her skin was bare. Whenever she touched him he shook and grew angry, but the anger was just a manifestation of excitement he had never been able to pursue. He was rough, very rough.

But he was still Naruto, somewhere deep down, and she would do her best to enjoy it. She responded to the pain the same way she responded to pleasure. She cried out when it hurt, and called out for more. Where he bit her, she bled. Where his claws grasped, her skin grew red and inflamed. He didn't move within her easily, as the real Naruto had, but frenzied and selfish, caring naught for anything but his own need. His hips ground against hers, pushing himself as far as he'd go as fast and forcefully as possible, snarling all the while, digging his claws in as deep as they would go. Her eyes rolled, frantic that she would pass out from a combination of her pulse racing and her blood leaking from her own body. It felt good enough to her body that she shuddered from her own release, but it hurt badly enough that she cried out in pain.

She thought it would never end, and then suddenly it did, mercifully. Kyuubi was almost instantly asleep, and she lay awake sobbing, curled up in a ball of injury. The beast beside her snored even more loudly than Naruto had. She trembled. Her insides hurt, her skin was on fire, and she was cold, denied enough blood to stay warm. The comforter was a bare scrap of cloth now, and what was left of it was pinned under Kyuubi, whom she would not dare wake now. With a modicum of shame, she curled up against the sleeping form of her husband and tried to dull the feelings enough to sleep.

She awoke as Kyuubi dragged its claws against her skin. She yelped and cursed, eliciting nothing but a laugh from the demon fox. Cranky at having been woken up so roughly, she cocked her hand back and slapped him full across the face. Instantly, she regretted it. Kyuubi was upon her, growling intently into her face, its spittle dripping hot and acrid onto her neck. Her eyes blazed into his, exciting him, and he took her again. She noted grimly that it was still dark outside. Dismally, she realized that it was still only the first night. Despair bubbled up in her heart as it sank in just how long of a month this was going to be. Glad for the cover of darkness, she let the hot batch of tears leak down her face, not bothering to mask them.

* * *

He had woken her up twice more the first evening. When she was finally allowed to move around she found she couldn't. Her muscles ached; many of them were seized from the numerous tiny wounds. Her entire body shook from the shock of her injuries, and her legs quivered violently from being forced open so often. Her whole body felt like it was on fire. She tried to find some breakfast in the old cabin, but no sooner had she located some nonperishable supplies than Kyuubi had stalked out of the bedroom and was upon her again. Day two, and she was already afraid she would not survive this encounter. She didn't so much mind the injuries, but if her body could not sustain them, she was surely going to perish. She was exhausted already, and the overwhelming feeling of despair had chased away all of her optimism. How was she ever going to handle this?

As she whimpered through the attentions of the snarling fox spirit, her thoughts wandered, detaching her mind from her body and the assault that it was enduring. She thought of the real Naruto, and how dashing he had looked on the night of their wedding. She thought of the way her heart fluttered when he looked at her as if he only wanted her; her, and no one else. More importantly, she was reminded of the times when Naruto had faced death for her. On these occasions when she remembered the sacrifices he had made for her to live, she fought against the pain and the aches and somehow managed to pull through. If he could face down a hundred deaths to save so many lives, she could stare down this one to do the same. These shining moments when she could remember the real Naruto were enough to refresh her spirit. Sometimes she used the warm thoughts to fuel her body enough to accept her fate in the cabin that had become her own private hell--a hell that could never be shared with anyone, not even her husband.

By the end of the first week, she had realized something. If she ever initiated the contact with Kyuubi, if _she _drove the brutal coupling and not he, he became more excited, spent more energy in it and grew more tired. He slept longer, and gave her more time to recuperate. As often as possible, she fought the pain and exhaustion and seduced Kyuubi. For this, she was rewarded with more time to sleep or attend her wounds. She felt vile when she did that though. If anyone could see her deadly dance with the fox she would die of shame, of that she was certain. She tried to tell herself she was only doing it to survive, but her body was not lying when it responded to his touch even if her mind was sane and very much terrified. At times she hated herself for it. Others, she merely gave in to it. The only common denominator was that it was always going to hurt, physically and emotionally, and there was no escaping it. She didn't even know that she would live beyond her next breath.

It was the most terrible month of her entire life. In the entire thirty day period, she had eaten a bare handful of times, though she had plenty of water. She'd barely managed to get any sleep, and had never been able to locate any clothes other than what she had brought with her. She had not been intending on staying the month here, as they had only stolen away here on a split second decision. Her wedding dress had once been a splendid, gorgeous gown; now it was shredded by the claws of the beast, dirty, bloody, tattered, and tragic. Every day was a struggle for her life. Every day, the only thoughts that got her through it were both shameful and wonderful. If she imagined the beast was just a twisted manifestation of her beloved, she could convince herself it was just a dark fantasy. When it got too difficult, her thoughts fled her body and she remembered why it was she suffered this fate. She cried though, oh! How she cried! Whenever the beast slept, she sobbed.

As the time neared, she grew more tired, but he only grew more frantic. She believed, perhaps, that he knew their time was ending. His pupils dilated as he glared at her, one of those many times. She dared to stare back, though it took every scrap of her energy to even hold her head up. "Hinata," he rumbled.

"Kyuu...bi," she gasped.

His nostrils flared as he inhaled her scent. A grin broke out upon his demonic face, a foreign spirit using her husband's form. "Mine," he snapped.

She shook her head heavily. "Naruto's, not yours." Her second mistake, which was proven in the next moment when his claws curled around her waist and dug into the soft flesh of her back. She gasped from the sudden pain and wilted in his grip. She blamed her exhaustion, but she had to accept consequences now, so she scrabbled for any scrap of energy she could muster for whatever arduous event was sure to come next.

His eyes glowed a menacing bloodshot red. "_MINE!" _he hissed into her face.

She stared back. She didn't want to get killed, but she knew it was a bad idea to appear weak to her adversary as well. She straightened as much as she could and narrowed her eyes. If she was going to stand up for herself at any point of this ordeal, then now was a good time. She wanted him to be sure of where her affections lay. "No, Kyuubi. I am at your mercy because it was necessary. You possess me, it is true, but I am not yours. Soon you will be gone and Naruto will return, and I will be his. And he, at least, does not need to force me." He glared at her, angered by the truth. "Yes," she confirmed, "I've been playing your game all along, but I am not, nor will ever be, yours."

He struck her, snarling. Her world blurred red and flashed, but his other claw still held her steady. "I am far more powerful than he. How can you prefer the whelp?" She blinked, confused. He seemed to be talking to himself. His free hand shredded the remainder of her wedding dress down her chest, exposing her marred skin. Once naked to the world, he sank his teeth into her collarbone. She hissed with pain but didn't cry, not yet. He worked his way down her skin, bite after bite, and it was then she realized that he had a purpose. _He's marking me, _she thought. _He is staking a claim for Naruto to find._ He was never gentle before when he took her, and this was no exception, but the fire burning in her blood got her through this one. Perhaps she was running on pure defiance? When he'd finished with her he curled up around her possessively and growled 'mine' once more before dozing off.

She slowly disentangled from the hated embrace and shut the door between herself and the den of the fox. Finally, she collapsed upon the kitchen floor, unable to walk. Her body convulsed and shook and she curled into a ball on the carpet. She'd lost track of the days. She would make it. She would. Her stomach was so empty she felt sick. Her world spun around her head like an oil painting being flushed down a toilet. She knew she was ill, perhaps dying. Bitterly she wondered if she had a chance of surviving out of stubbornness and willpower alone. She retched, though all she could spit out was a spattering of acid. She felt lighter and lighter, as if her spirit was fleeing her body, and then she felt no more.

* * *

She had the strangest dream while unconscious--she could have sworn that as she lay there, broken and bleeding, she could hear the Fox whining as if far away. Though she could not open her eyes, it felt like he was nearby even though he sounded far off, and was he... licking her face?

* * *

He'd woken when she thudded upon the floor.

Kyuubi stared down at her, confused. Love? Surely not. The ancient demon was far too arrogant to believe he had found love. He had thought when he met this human that she was merely something he craved. Her scent had been sweet, her flavor even sweeter. He wanted to possess her, to take her whenever he wanted. Odd, that he should feel even that little about a human, but something about her intrigued him. And Naruto had been fortunate enough to be the only man to ever touch her. That meant that only his own scent had infused hers. He assumed that meant that she was his.

Was he wrong?

Though he refused to admit it, at least where anyone could hear, he knew she spoke the truth to him. She was a soft, emotion-riddled human with an attachment to his host, the man named Naruto. Humans had odd mating habits. Some mated for life and some did not. This human woman had chosen her mate for life. Kyuubi was merely an impostor to her. It was a thought that should have angered him and make him want to tear her limb from limb. He seethed because of that thought, but he found he was not quite angry. He was... sad. And determined. If he could not have her to himself, he could at least still have her, and perhaps someday she would be less abhorrent of him. He felt drunk with pleasure thinking of the times when _she _had touched _him,_ even if she did claim she was pretending. For that reason alone, because he wanted to be touched--and maybe someday, it would not all be pretend--he felt like he could be different with Hinata. Her bravery excited him. Her scent invigorated him. He would have to reward her--just a little!--for agreeing to his bargain.

_Don't be dead, _he thought, whining. He tried to keep her blood flowing by licking her face. When her breathing became more steady, he relaxed. She would live. He curled up next to her and dozed off. "Ours," he murmured, to no one in particular.

* * *

She was shaken awake gently. When she was able to focus her bleary, bloodshot eyes, she was greeted by the familiar blue irises she loved, filled with worry. "Hinata?" he asked, panic lacing a hoarse and tortured voice.

"Naruto?" she managed to whisper.

He let out a heavy breath of relief, tears spilling over, then wrapped his arms around her as she passed out again, relieved to be allowed to sleep. It was over. It was finally over.

* * *

A/N: Yikes, that's no good! Far superior chapter to the one before I admit. I felt the last one was cheese and I resented it a bit for it. This one was more about what the tone of the story is, so I hope you enjoy! As usual, I welcome thoughts and comments. :D Thanks for reading!

* * *

That's going to be an awkward breakfast_. Chapter Nineteen--Back to 'Normal'_


	20. Back to 'Normal'

Chapter Nineteen--Back to 'Normal'

* * *

Naruto let her sleep, horrified at what he'd seen when he realized what had happened. Her skin was a hide made up of almost entirely bruises, scratches, cuts, and bumps. Though both of them had been ninjas for almost half their lives and endured excruciating pain at times, the fact that she had agreed to this and he had done it to her astounded and sickened him. Mostly the fact that he had done it to her. A memory that seemed ages old bubbled up to the surface of his memory, threatening to break his soul. A pretty face, a tiny white bone. He swallowed, feeling sick. He had not killed her, but he could have done worse. She had not even woken yet. She had slept almost the entire day. He tucked her in with as much care as he could muster, and when he finally slowed in his fretting, he found some food in the cupboards and cooked up a meal of spaghetti. He had just settled in to eat it when Hinata stumbled in, looking damaged but well-rested. He froze, mid-bite, afraid of what she was going to say. _"Go away, I can't love you anymore. You're a monster and I should have let you die in the woods. How could you hurt me this way?"_ These were just a few of the choice phrases he could think of, but any of them would kill him.

"Is that spaghetti?" she asked meekly instead. He nodded, speechless, and passed his plate across the table. She staggered into the nearest chair and set to it as if starved half to death. Hell, she probably was. He fixed himself another plate and sat opposite her, observing her every movement as he fed his own hunger. He felt like he had not eaten in a month and wondered if he had. The thought dredged up bad memories though, threatening to turn his stomach, so he swallowed the ill memory with the next bite of spaghetti and studied her war torn face.

When she had finished, she pushed the plate away and dropped her chin into her hands. She was still wearing her wedding dress, but it was nothing more than a set of beggar's rags now. She shut her eyes and smiled weakly. It brought tears to Naruto's eyes. "What have I done?" he whispered. She looked like a broken angel in that scrap of a dress. An angel _he _had broken and would again.

One purple eye winked open. "Hm?"

This was wrong. What he had agreed to was wrong. He could not be the one to do this to her. She deserved better than that. "Look what I've done to you, Hinata." He could not help it as the first tears leaked from his eyes. He was unable to stop a barrage of horrid fantasies that played out in his thoughts, fitting actions to markings across her body. Especially those wicked bites...

She peered down at her own body, the first of her wounds were mostly healed, but the fresher ones were puffy and swollen. Some of the bruises had faded to yellow blotches, but some were still deep purple. She'd gotten used to it over her time here in the cabin, but Naruto was seeing the damage for the first time. "It's finished, Naruto. You're back, and I'm just fine." Her voice was so serene it made him want to kiss all her pains away. How could she be so calm after all she had gone through?

"No, you're not. Hinata—" she cut him off with a fiery glare of which he did not think her capable. "I'm sorry," he whispered instead.

"You do not need to be sorry, Naruto. I chose this, for you, for me, for us, and for the Leaf Village." She let her hands fall to the tabletop and straightened in her chair. It was inspiring to behold. For all her wounds and torture, she had not lost a whit of her backbone. "Mostly for me."

He felt the beginnings of a panic attack seizing his chest as his breathing quickened. Phrases of self loathing were overwhelming his thoughts. _I'm a monster. I hurt the only person I ever truly loved. I hurt the only woman in the world who truly understood me. I could kill her next time. What did I even do to her this time? How much don't I remember? How scared must she have been? I should never have survived. I should have died out there in the woods, alone. At least then, Hinata would be okay--_

"Naruto, are you all right? You look scared." Her eyes were full of concern as they studied his face.

He turned his attention to her, distracted momentarily from his own pity party. "I'm fine, Hinata, but... what about you? Is anything broken? Do I need to get you to the hospital?" Yes, the hospital was probably the best thing for her. "I can't believe I did this. I won't allow this to happen ever again. Come on, Hinata," he said, rising and holding out a hand. "We're taking you to the hospital."

She stood, angrily, and knocked her chair to the floor. "Naruto, stop it! I endured hell for a month because you've endured hell for me. Stop treating me like a child. I knew that it would hurt and I knew how badly it would hurt. I--am--_FINE_." She stalked away from the table and into the single room where she crashed on the bed and did not move.

What had he done wrong? He'd been worried about her, was all. How could she be fine after what he had done? He cleaned up after their meal, scrubbing furiously at the dishes, not even aware that his concern for her had superseded his own self hatred. He had to make sure she was alright. It had become more important than wishing he were dead a year ago. HE finished the cleaning and followed her into the room. She had covered up with the bloodied comforter, but she had stopped crying. He had an idea what it was about after being alone with the dishes and the thoughts. She was right; she was not a child, and much like him had grown up starving for respect. "I'm sorry, Hinata. You're right… you made it through admirably and I was wrong to treat you like a porcelain doll afterward."

She shook her head. "No, you only did it because you cared about me. It's just… I had hoped that when you came back we could just get back to where we left off. It was our wedding night, after all."

_Ahhh that explained everything. _He curled up next to her, breathing in the scent of a Hinata that had endured a month's worth of hell just because she loved him. He wrapped his arms around her broken form and buried his face in the back of her neck. She sighed, entwining her fingers into his own. "Was it awful?" he asked, heart sore.

She nodded. "I don't want to talk about it," she answered.

It amazed him that she was able to just pretend it had never happened. Was she really able to just think of him and his demon as two entirely different people? Anyone else would have never seen him the same again. He would forever be the demon fox. He knew because it had happened so often before. He was Naruto until the Kyuubi took control, and then he was the Jinchuuriki. It was dangerous to be his friend. He nodded, respecting her wishes, and didn't bring it up anymore. Instead, he kissed the back of her neck, let out a sigh, and dozed off listening to her breathe. She, in turn, did the same, happy that he was with her at last, holding her tight amidst the shrapnel of a private battlefield that no one would know existed.

* * *

Over the next week he fussed over her just enough. He made her breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He tucked her in to sleep, washed and dressed her wounds as best he could. She let him fuss, understanding that no matter how well she had weathered her ordeal, he needed to take some responsibility for it to be okay with it. When at last she felt strong enough to leave and face the Village, they left the cabin, each in better spirits.

He settled them both into his apartment. Until they bought a new place, this would be where they both lived now. As he set her up on the couch with a new video and a pot of tea, she asked him to fetch Hanae. He was not excited about seeing her student, but she assured him that Cereus would want to know she was back, and she needed to talk to the vile-tempered girl.

He found her apartment near the edge of the Village. It was nothing special… just a place to sleep. He knocked on the door. The face that answered narrowed its eyes at him. He scowled back in return. "Where is Hinata Sensei?" she asked angrily. "You disappeared at the reception. Your honeymoon was not supposed to be for another week."

"She's back at my apartment, and wants to see you," he answered warily.

"Hmph," was all she answered, stepping outside and shutting the door behind her. "Let's be off then." Then she added, as if she felt the need to, "Jerk."

He rolled his eyes and led her to his apartment. They didn't speak along the way. Apparently, he was insignificant, and she would extract whatever information she needed from her teacher. She stalked like a spitting cat with a foul temper. He wondered if she would ever be a pleasant companion to have around, but supposed he had better get used to Hinata's odd handful of students, especially this one. If there was anything he had learned over the months he had been with his new wife, he had learned that Hanae and Hinata were extremely close.

It was then that he noticed how tired she looked. Beneath her eyes were dark circles that told him she had not been sleeping well. _She has been worried, _he determined. He knew he should not be surprised, but he had hardly considered the girl a decent human being before.

The door creaked open, and Hanae went straight to Hinata, exclaiming over her current state and glowering in Naruto's direction every so often. He could not hear much because Hanae lowered the volume to barely a whisper and it would have been rude for him to listen any more intently. Within moments, Hanae's hands were glowing green, and she passed her chakra through Hinata. _So that's what she has been working on so hard…_ he thought. Both Mai and Hanae had been spending long hours training offsite. He had seen Hinata working with Yasuo alone for a while now but had not asked about it. As soon as the healing was finished, Hinata dozed off peacefully, looking better than he had seen her all week. Hanae brushed past him, pulling him into the kitchen with her.

"What have you done to her?" she hissed. He opened his mouth with a smart reply, but she mowed right over him. "She'll be fine. It's a pity Mai was not here though. Our healing together is over a hundred times better. She's going to be asleep for a while. Good thing I'm around."

"Oh yeah?" he poked, furious. It was incredible how quickly she irritated him with all her exaggerations and arrogance.

"Yeah. Without me to heal her, how you going to explain _that_ to your friends?" She pointed accusingly at the living room where Hinata was resting.

It took him a second to realize what she meant. Of course! If she came back marked up like she had, it was going to look like he was rough on her or like they had been fighting—and he had been winning. On top of that, he could not ask anyone else to heal her. Sakura would never look at him the same. None of the other medic-nin would. He'd be right back where he had started as a boy—hated and feared. If he could do _that_ to Hinata, who was next?

So why was Hanae any different? "Why are you doing this?" She paused in what she was doing, which happened to be making another pot of tea. She rose her eyebrow at him, as if to ask, "_Really?" _He shook his head. "No, not the tea. Why are you helping me?"

"Ha! You would think that, wouldn't you? Helping _you_? Were you born vain?" She took a moment to laugh softly to herself, which only served to irritate him further. "I'm not helping you, idiot, I'm helping Hinata Sensei." It confused him, but she let him think about it for an extended minute while she finished brewing the tea. She poured both of them a cup, perhaps the nicest thing she had done for him or ever would again, and sat at the table.

"Let me tell you a story. It's up to you if you want to stand or sit." He sat down, eliciting an amused expression on the genin's face.

She took a sip from her tea cup and began to speak.

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A/N: So I didn't quite get to finish it all this weekend.... I ended up somewhere where the site was blocked by the institution's filter. I got to work on the new story though... it's almost done now too! Anyway, there are only a couple chapters left at this point, so I hope you enjoy the ending. :) It ought to ease some of the fears you had about Hanae.

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This girl seems oddly dedicated, yet not easily ruffled... maybe she can tell you why in _Chapter Twenty--Hinata's Protege_


	21. Hinata's Protege

Chapter Twenty: Hinata's Protege

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"I had the most wonderful parents," she began reverently. "And to me, their only child, they each blessed me with a kekkei-genkai to make me the envy of the Fire Nation. From my father, I earned a visual jutsu that lets me view chakra signatures. Everywhere I look, the world glows with chakra. It lets me track anyone provided I am able to see somewhere they have been. The setback is that I don't know whose is whose. They don't feel any different. It looks like one person makes all the tracks. But I do know how many signatures are there. I knew there were two when I tracked you." He nodded, understanding that that was how he was found in the middle of the woods miles away from any people. "From my mother I inherited a shielding nature to my own chakra. When anyone else's chakra touches my own it vanishes into a cloud of flower petals. Your blasts of chakra flutter harmlessly away as blossoms on the wind. The drawback to that is that no one's chakra works on me in other ways. No one can dispel a genjutsu that has me ensnared, no one can heal me. But no one can touch me. I can protect anyone by being in the way. Oh, and of course, if anyone gets close enough to use taijutsu, I'm on my own. Admittedly, it's not my strongest suit either.

"My parents had hoped that they had set me up to be everyone's favorite, but everything changed. I woke up one morning, a morning like any other. It was the middle of the week, and I had school. My mother and father weren't home. I went to school like any other day. I knew how to dress myself and how to get there. I walked home after school, and they still weren't there. I made a cup of ramen, watched some television, and went to sleep. The next day I did the same thing, but before the end of the day my sensei kept me after school. He asked me about where they might be. I told him I didn't know. They did this for a while, keeping me after and asking if I had seen them. I hadn't. By the 4th day I'd been moved into my sensei's house. He took care of me until I was old enough, and now I live alone. Someone stops in every now and then and drops off groceries. That's it.

"At the Academy, my attitude warded away most of the people who might have been friends. My special abilities warded away the rest. My teachers had quickly realized what my mother's ability meant for the protection of the village, and they kept a careful watch. They kept me after hours, gave me special lessons which really could not have done anything for me, and treated me like I was made of glass. I hated it, but more importantly, so did everyone else. They thought I was getting special treatment. I did passably well in school and they thought it was because I sucked up.

"I acted out. I was not the class clown, like some would be. I was the bully. I picked on everyone for whatever reason I could. I wanted to punish them for never giving me the chance. No one liked me, and why should they? I cuss, I hurt people, hell, I've even stolen cigarettes and smoked them. I hated them, but I did it anyway because that's what bad kids do. I hated myself, and everyone hated me. I didn't care. All I knew was, someday I was going to be a ninja and no one would have a choice but to fear me and kiss my hand. I paid attention in class, learning as much as I could. I trained as hard as I could and outperformed the other kids. When they tried to fight me for it, I beat them all. I was no one's favorite, not even my own.

"When I finally graduated I was introduced to my sensei, Hinata Hyuuga. I was stuck with Mai and Yasuo, whom at the time I despised of course. Mai was a brat. She was not a bully, like me, just a stuck up, holier-than-thou bookworm who acted like she knew everything about everything but never fit in. Yasuo was nothing special. He blends in to _wallpaper_; no one knows he is there and no one cares if he is there. You'd have looked at us then and laughed your ass off. Hinata was a new jounin, and we were her first team, and we were collectively labeled Konoha's least likely to succeed. We didn't like each other and felt no need to, but… our sensei loved us.

"Hinata treated us like family. She was always on time for training, brought us breakfast every morning, and smiled at us like we were the jewels of the universe. Although we did not like each other, we were together in the fact that we all loved Hinata-sensei. She was something we had all been missing from our lives. She was the very figure of love and devotion. For my own part, I'd been starved of parents at a very early age, and Hinata was something I needed. All the questions of my life I had never had answered… she sat through every one with the patience of time. She visited me at my own apartment for no apparent reason, and when I was having a bad day she invited me to the Hyuuga place for dinner. She never pressed me because she knew if she waited long enough I would burst and tell her everything. I'd never had a friend, never had a sister, never really had a mom. She was all of these.

"I had never had anything to fight for, before. That woman in there, dozing peacefully on your couch, means more to me than the lives of every villager in the Leaf. I would level the place to the ground--or try, anyway--if I could if it meant she would be alright, if she would be happy. She has given me a reason to care, and because of it I was able to enjoy the company of others. Team Cereus, held together by our sensei, became the most cohesive team that the Academy has ever produced. We're not ready for much yet, but we understood teamwork _first_, since we lacked _everything _else. It's usually the last thing a ninja is able to figure out, and we mastered it first. We're sort of a mishap, something that should never have been able to happen; Cereus, the Night-blooming Flower, blossoming in the peace of bright moonlight when none but the careful watcher may observe.

"I love my team, and I would do anything to protect it, but most of all, I owe it to Hinata. If it were not for her patience and love, I can honestly say I have no idea where I would be right now. I needed to repay her, and here is where it gets interesting." Naruto sipped his tea, intrigued by the story, so eerily similar to his own.

"Hinata was always mooning over someone. When she thought no one was watching, her head was in the clouds. She slipped secret smiles, and I knew in her wildest thoughts she was in her Prince's arms. More than a year has passed since she became our teacher, and never have I seen her with someone. So, that meant he was not hers yet. She never told me who it was. I figured it out as we went searching for you."

Hanae leaned forward in her chair, not realizing her tea had grown cold. "I said before that I'd destroy the village for her." She let the words hang between them a moment. "I don't care what you have done, or how you killed that girl last year. I don't even care who you are. You are what she wants, and I will help her keep you. Hinata told me you made a deal with your demon but didn't tell me what it was. I suppose it means that she comes home every so often looking like this." She narrowed her eyes at him. "If she wants it that way, fine. You won't do this again without me nearby though. If you might hurt her I need to be there to keep her safe, and I have to be the one to heal her when it's over."

Naruto's eyes widened. Who was this girl? Barely even a teenager, yet with all the courage of a woman twice her age. She was already willing to put her life on the line for a teammate and friend, and cared more for the feelings of someone who meant something to her than for the ethics of the entire situation. Someone else might think Hanae were careless for proposing something like this, especially with her abrasive attitude. Naruto was very simply impressed. Hanae knew what the fox was capable of and had seemed nonplussed. She had faced the fox and never flinched. Her major concern for Hinata's disappearance was solely for the safety of Hinata, and upon finding her alive she had healed her and moved on. The conclusion was fairly straightforward: Hanae cared only for Hinata, and would do anything she could to secure her happiness. That was alright in his book.

In a thirteen year-old girl, her sort of devotion and strength was intimidating. More importantly, he'd rather be with her than against her. She might not be particularly strong _now_, but someday, she surely would be. Slowly, he nodded. Besides, her and Hinata seemed to need each other. He had made the decision before he opened his mouth, but it still sounded like someone else's voice as he said the words. "Alright," he conceded. "Maybe it would be best if you moved in, then." He could not bear the thought of hurting Hinata any more than he already had to, and Hanae had already proven that she could protect Hinata under pressure. He needed her to stay sane. That thought alone amused him. He'd never thought to need the bratty teen.

It was Hanae's turn to be shocked. Her jaw went slack. After a moment or two, her eyes welled up with tears. "Are you… kidding me?" He held her gaze and shook his head gently. "Really?" He nodded. She quickly wiped away the tears that had threatened to spill and smiled, the sort of sweet smile that seemed alien to her angular face. "Naruto Uzumaki," she said, her voice quivering, "I think I am beginning to understand exactly why it is Hinata sensei loves you."

* * *

Many hours later, Naruto remained at the table. He was on his second pot of tea, just thinking. His mind had been back and forth since inviting Hanae into the Uzumaki household. Although she impressed him, he was not sure he could handle her callous attitude on a day to day basis. So, after each cup of tea, he considered the other possibility. One cup, _could she belong here? _One cup, _what in hell was I thinking? _One more cup, _this could be an interesting family._

He was so engrossed in his own thoughts he didn't even notice the quiet presence in the doorway of his kitchen until her voice broke through his mental meanderings. "It's late," she said softly. "Are you ever coming to bed?"

He had to stop himself from reminding her that she had just healed from injuries he had inflicted. In his head he could already hear her indignation:_ "Yes, _just healed_, as in, I'm not injured anymore." _His eyes roved over her body, and although his head told him it was because he needed to assure himself she was just fine, his heart and his more mischievous parts were not fooled in the slightest. "I've just been thinking," he said, returning her smile. "And enjoying a pot of tea." He raised the cup as proof. "See?"

She crossed the room to stand behind him where he sat and rested her chin upon his shoulder. "Thanks, Naruto," she said on a gentle sigh. "Hanae told me."

Naruto reached up reflexively with one hand and laid it against the side of her face. "Hey, no problem. It could be fun right?"

Something in his voice must have given him away because she laughed in pure amusement. He laughed too, mostly because he knew how pathetic and transparent he could be. "Oh, Naruto," she cooed, leaning into his hand. "I know you didn't do it because you thought it would be 'fun.' You did it for me, and I appreciate that." She kissed his cheek. "You're the best thing that has ever happened to me, Naruto. You're the most wonderful, compassionate, intense, and exciting man I've ever met. Handsome, too."

"Glad you threw that in there at the end. I was getting worried there for a minute." He grinned, and she tsked.

"Well," she added, "no one ever accused you of being too serious." She turned his face so she could kiss him. More than happy to oblige, he returned the kiss. Ah, yes... it was definitely bedtime.

Just about when it was getting to the good part, the part where he would sweep her up in his arms, hoist her into the bedroom, lay her out upon the covers with all the grace he could muster, and make sweet love to her until one of them could no longer continue, the passionate spark between them was abruptly severed by the most unwelcome voice in all of Konoha. "Sheesh. You have a bedroom for a reason. I have to _eat _on that table, you know."

Hanae. One word rose up in his consciousness, even though he knew he was joking when he thought it.

_Mistake. A mistake after all._

_

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_

A/N: I'm starting to feel like a bum for apologizing all the time. :) It's almost over, I promise! Just one more 'person's' thoughts are needed. I hope this has eased everyone's concerns about Hanae. She's more of a tough act than a tough. Don't get me wrong, she *is* strong... it's more something that if I ever developed another story from this, she'd become a lot more than she is. For the purposes of this story, she was more just there to make the relationship between Naruto and Hinata a lot smoother. Konoha would ask questions if Hinata came home all the time looking like Naruto was trying to break her. Hanae ensures Hinata's safety and the protection of their secrets, while at the same time giving me a character with an attitude I could control. I love a character with a snotty attitude problem. Keep in mind that these generally pissed off characters usually have a reason for it *wink wink.*

Everything is pretty much in place for a lovely, albeit twinged-with-darkness future for Naruto and Hinata. I'm mostly going to let you guys think up the future. ^_^

It's almost over... just one more thing!

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So what happens with Kyuubi?_ Chapter Twenty-one--Ours_


	22. Ours

Chapter Twenty-one: Ours

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At first, Naruto thought it was a dream, but unfortunately it was too real. He knew the location well: the chamber of the fox, tall iron bars between him and the foul beast he contained. The seal was still there where the two halves of the door were joined; nothing but a flimsy piece of paper keeping the most dangerous being in existence from wreaking havoc upon the world. A piece of paper and a soft case of flesh keeping Kyuubi from destroying Konoha for whatever selfish reasons he might entertain.

Whatever the reason he was here tonight, he sure didn't want to be. "You have shitty timing," Naruto grumbled. "I was sleeping." And deservedly so. He was exhausted after the night with Hinata. It had been a long time since they had been together like they had been tonight, and it made it _that _much sweeter.

The frown that, once upon a time, had given him the willies did not even make him flinch now. "You wake me up all the time, you uptight little squirt."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at him. So what if it was true? "Yeah, well _you_ live in _my _body. I can do whatever I want."

They stared at each for a minute, a tense moment between two unwilling partners. Neither of them really wanted to be paired with the other, but it was never a choice for either of them. It was an odd sort of kinship, being bonded by contempt. They sized each other up with their eyes. Naruto faced the beast before him wondering if there would ever be a time when he would have to face Kyuubi alone, and if he could win. Kyuubi glared at the young man, wondering as he always did if the hyperactive Shinobi was worthy of containing one as great as him.

Suddenly an understanding seemed to be reached between them. They visibly relaxed, comfortable with each other for the first time. Did they like each other? Certainly not. But it seemed, at last, they had accepted each other. Naruto walked closer to the prison, his footsteps echoing throughout the chamber as he closed the distance between him and the demon fox. Kyuubi didn't move; he merely waited. Then, with a heavy sigh and the squeal of pressure against iron the only sounds, Naruto slid down against the bars and sat with his back to the fox.

Kyuubi's eyes widened. Turning your back to someone was a sign of friendship, usually. It meant you trusted the one behind you not to attack. He huffed a short laugh. "You've grown," he growled quietly.

Naruto crossed his arms. "Well, quite a few years ago you sort of shrunk, so… I guess we're even."

Kyuubi ignored the joke. He was not in the habit of chatting with his human prison. "You've kept your bargain," he stated. "Now I intend to keep mine." He dragged out a scroll from the darkness of his cell and pushed it forward.

It was a summoning contract. Naruto stared at it incredulously. Did a scroll signed from within this surreal chamber even truly exist? It was a little tattered at the edges, but it made sense considering its age. There did not seem to be any other handprints there. It was enough to make Naruto feel awesomely privileged, and he was not about to give Kyuubi time to reconsider. He bit his thumb and rubbed the blood on his palm before stamping his handprint on the sheaf of paper. Instantly he felt the connection forge between himself and the Ninetails. Kyuubi reached out and dragged it back, grinning. "It's done then," he said. "You can summon me whenever you like. Hinata will be mine around this time each year. That's the only time it can happen, so no rescheduling."

"I swear, if you ever take things too far—" Naruto began, the threat growling up from his throat menacing enough to make Kyuubi jealous.

"Hehehe," the fox chuckled. "I can't blame you for not noticing, what with you blacking out each time I shine through." His amusement was eerie.

"What do you mean?" Naruto pressed, a warning evident in his tone.

"I won't kill her." He paused. "I _can't _kill her." The fox waited for Naruto to understand his meaning, but it was not happening, as indicated by his stiff and unyielding posture. "I like her. She excites me." The increased tension in the young man's shoulders did not seem to suggest that he was comforted by the thought. "We've done well by her," Kyuubi finished, feeling frustrated. Even an idiot could not miss his meaning.

"Oh, 'we' is it now?" Naruto asked indignantly, standing once more in front of the bars. He brought his hand up between them and waggled his fingers, the expression on his face intense. The dim lighting in the room glinted off the simple gold band on his finger. "I am the one who married her, not you. _Tch_, this is so wrong," he added as if to himself. "We should not even be having this conversation. Hinata does not_like_ you. She won't ever _love_ you." He made the emphasis as pronounced as he could, just to rub it in. Kyuubi's nostrils flared in response. "She is mine, not 'yours,' and not 'ours.'"

"SHE _IS_ MINE!" The fox roared into Naruto's face, stomping within his cell.

Naruto smirked. "Aww," he said in mock affection. "The demon fox is in love with my wife. How sweet."

"You irritating imp!" he snarled. "Where would you be without me? You'd be dead by now! You'd be the most useless, hated ninja in Konoha. It's only because of me you even exist."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and stared back in pure hatred. "Without you, I'd still have a father. Without you, I would never have been hated for what I contain. At least without you, I could have been hated for something I am, and not something I am not. Maybe I'd still be useless, but I'd be proud. Without me, you'd be certainly alone and probably dead, so there."

They glared at each other with loathing for a few minutes longer. Finally, Naruto laughed silently. "This is stupid. We already made the frickin' deal. You get Hinata once a year. You kill her and we're both dead. I think we got that part. I get to summon you when I feel like it and you have to be a good little Kyuubi. It's a wasted effort to pretend it's any different. She's mine eleven months a year and yours for one. I guess that does make her ours, doesn't it?"

It was a rhetorical question. They both knew the answer.

"Ours," Kyuubi stated. He wanted to be certain that Naruto understood exactly where he stood on the situation. He _would_ possess her, if only for a little while. Although he knew his host did not believe a word he said--and with good reason, he'd admit--he would mourn her loss if anything became of the gentle Kunoichi with that bright streak of fire in her veins. He had no intention of being any gentler, of course, but he would be more careful in the future to make sure she could not die of her wounds

He did not know how much easier that had become in the past twenty-four hours.

"Ours," Naruto grudgingly agreed.

Kyuubi smiled, satisfied that he had gotten his way, as he often did. "Alright then, kit*, summon me on out of here. We have work to do."

Naruto pumped his fist in the air. "Alright! Let's start training!"

* * *

The End

* * *

* a 'kit' is a young fox

* * *

A/N: So, Naruto and Kyuubi have grudgingly learned to share. Now, with Hinata supporting Naruto and the Kyuubi eating out of the palm of her hand, Konoha is sure to do great things. :) Can you imagine the look on the Villager's faces when the Ninetails rears his ugly head to _protect _the village? Cereus is bound to be an admirable set of Shinobi someday... though I can't be bothered to load you up on OCs... I know so many here are against them. ^_^ I understand!

Naruto is clearly the next Hokage with Kyuubi in tow. The future is bright!

* * *

No, there are no plans as of yet for a sequel.

Sorry it took so long to get it all published. I am glad that so many of you found it worth the wait. It's very encouraging to read your reviews and be alerted to another favorite-ing.

Thank you, all of my adoring fans (and not so adoring critics). Your feedback has been appreciated. I am grateful for your support, and I try my best to keep you happy. Thanks for helping me along the way to produce a quality product we can all be happy with. I hope you are all enjoying the REAL updates to the storyline as much as I am. :)

Take care, all.

~Duckess

P.S... am I missing anything? Please ask any questions if I've somehow left you confused. I'm not used to writing for an audience.


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